Now Reading: UP autopsy delay at KGMU despite 4-hour directive from minister
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UP autopsy delay at KGMU despite 4-hour directive from minister
A June 2025 Uttar Pradesh government directive ordering autopsies within four hours appears to be poorly followed at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) mortuary in Lucknow. Multiple recent cases show delays…
A June 2025 Uttar Pradesh government directive ordering autopsies within four hours appears to be poorly followed at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) mortuary in Lucknow. Multiple recent cases show delays of several hours and overnight waits, forcing grieving families to queue for long periods.
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak had issued the order on June 27 to cut the hardship relatives face. KGMU spokesperson Prof KK Singh said a proposed zonal system to distribute postmortem work among institutions such as SGPGI, RMLIMS and KGMU had not yet been implemented, leaving KGMU with an excessive workload.
Relatives in three August 2025 cases reported delays of 3.5 to 5 hours and a night-long wait before autopsies were done. The forensic medicine department at KGMU has 37 doctors, but the hospital continues to handle a heavy caseload without the promised system being operational.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The June directive from the deputy chief minister is itself a response to a chronic grievance: UP's state-run mortuaries, particularly in high-volume centres, have long been cited in court petitions for unacceptably long turnaround times. The proposed zonal system would mirror the model used by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation for other civic services, but implementation has stalled. What matters next is whether the state health department will enforce the four-hour norm with a compliance mechanism or leave it as an advisory, given that KGMU handles autopsies for nearly the entire Lucknow police zone with no relief in sight. The next review meeting, if any, will be the signal.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
