Thane man, whose family cremated another patient 3 days ago, dies

Civic-run Thane Global Impact Hub. File pic

The 67-year-old man, whose false death report by civic-run Thane Global Impact Hub caused confusion between two families, breathed his last at 1:30 am on Wednesday.

Janardhan Sonawane's son Sandeep told mid-day that he received a call from the hospital staff in the wee hours informing about his father's death.

"I got a call in the wee hours on Wednesday from the hospital staff. They informed me that my father has passed away. This call confused me again and I asked the staff if they are sure this time, to which the staff confirmed that my father Janardhan Sonawane has passed away," Sandeep told mid-day.

COVID-19: Family Finds Thane Man Still In ICU Three Days After Cremation

"I have not been given any document to know if my father died of COVID-19. The paperwork at the hospital is going on and I am yet to get my father's body," he added.

On July 3, Sandeep had received a call from civic-run COVID-19 hospital in Kalwa at 6:30 am informing that his father had died of coronavirus. The hospital handed a body wrapped and taped in a PPE suit to the family. "The body was wrapped in a PPE suit and the face was not visible. We could not tell the hospital staff to show us the face as it was not advisable," Sandeep had said.

However, a few days later, the family got to know that Sonawane is alive and the body they cremated was of 71-year-old Bhalchandra Gaikwad. On July 6, Sandeep received a call from the hospital and the staff told him that ‘his father is alive'.

On July 7, Sandeep saw his father in the Intensive Care Unit and returned the death certificate to the hospital. "The happiness did not last for long," said Sandeep.

The in-charge of the hospital, Dr. Yogesh Sharma, said, "I am yet to check if Janardhan Sonawane is dead but I have been told by my staff that he passed away last night. A departmental enquiry is going on into the confusion of handing over the body to another family."

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