Two month old Armaan awaits dignified burial as parents abandon body of their Covid hit child in hospital

By Bunty Mahajan

Jammu: In a first ever incident of its kind during the current Covid pandemic, the body of a two-month old Armaan remains abandoned in the Government Medical College Hospital for the past two days, awaiting a dignified burial by his parents.

According to hospital doctors, Armaan was brought by his parents to the Government run SMGS hospital at Shalamar from Kathua on Sunday morning with multiple problems. He was also suffering from heart problem.

In the evening, the child died and following his rapid test, he was tested Covid positive.

According to doctors, they asked the parents also to accompany them for Covid test, but later told them that they are themselves visiting the testing facility in the hospital.

However, parents abandoned the body of their child left the hospital without informing anybody. The hospital authorities came to know about it after some time when parents did not return.

Later, the body of the child was shifted to GMC mortuary and police alerted about the absconding parents. 

According to doctors, their whereabouts have not been traced so far. The last rites of Armaan will have to be done observing all Covid SOPs, they added.

Meanwhile, noted social activist Somnath Dabgotra , chairman of the Dabgotra Charitable Trust said that if government permitted them, they will conduct the last rites of Armaan observing all COVID SOPs and with all his religious rituals.