02 November,2009 07:32 AM IST | | Ketan Ranga
Medical staff at the hospital mortuary finds it impossible to work Taking No Chances: For nearly a year, cops have kept a watch at the J J Hospital mortuary fearing a terrorist attack.
It's been nearly a year since 10 armed terrorists killed over 190 people, including three senior police officers during the 26/11 attack.
u00a0
In the counter offensive, nine terrorists were shot dead and one, Mohammed Ajmal Qasab, was caught alive.
The mutilated bodies of the nine terrorists continue to rot at the J J Hospital mortuary, despite the best efforts of the staff to preserve them.
In fact, so horrible is the stench from the rotting bodies that the hospital staff find it nearly impossible to work in the adjacent wards.
Rotting bodies
Said a staffer, "The bodies are stinking so badly that it's difficult to even walk past that ward."
The hospital has three wards in the mortuary, with one exclusively occupied by the terrorists' bodies.
However, there is no respite in sight, as the mortuary falls under the supervision of the police surgeon, and the hospital staff has no say in it.
Complaints about the stench and suggestions to move the bodies have fallen on deaf ears. "The bodies were already in a bad condition when they were sent for preservation.
They have deteriorated even more and are making it impossible for the staff to work," said another hospital staffer.
Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police said, "We had sent evidence to Pakistan to claim the bodies of the terrorists with their Pakistani addresses.
We have sent another reminder last month, but are yet to receive any correspondence from them."
The Other Side
When asked about the stench of the rotting bodies of the 26/11 terrorists, R S Inamdar, dean of J J Hospital said, "I cannot say anything about this matter, as it falls under the supervision of the police surgeon."
Save the Bodies
The Mumbai police had requested the medical staff at J J Hospital to preserve the bodies of the terrorists, until further tests were conducted and DNA samples collected by various investigating agencies.
The Indian government has sent several reminders to Pakistan to claim the bodies, but so far there has been no response from them.
Pak adjourns 26/11 trial
The Pakistan anti-terror court, conducting the trial of seven Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including the outfit's operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in the 26/11 terror attacks, has adjourned proceedings till November 7.
The lawyers have requested that a copy of Ajmal Qasab's confession be made available to them.
On Sunday, the Pak court had declared 14 other accused as absconding in the case, including Qasab.
Meanwhile, Qasab currently lodged in Arthur Road jail, complained of stomach aches in court on Friday. He was given medical attention and allowed a 30-minute break.
9
The number of terrorists shot dead in the 26/11 terror attacks
3
The number of policemen that guard the morgue round-the-clock on 12-hour shifts
4u00b0C
The temperature at which the bodies have been preserved
