Agartala: Nov 14. A chaotic situation took place at Nutan Bazar Rural Hospital on late Wednesday night after doctors allegedly refused to release a body without post-mortem, triggering anger among family members and locals.
The deceased, a resident of the Chellagang mukh area, was being rushed to the hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his illness on the way. Doctors, following protocol, insisted on conducting a post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death. However, the victim’s family maintained that it was a natural death and argued that under Jamatia Hoda customs, the body cannot be taken into the village after midnight.
As the hospital authorities declined to hand over the body, the situation turned tense with the family and villagers mounting pressure on the doctors. Sensing the tension, Nutan Bazar Police arrived at the spot to control the situation.
Eventually, the impasse was resolved after MLA Ranjit Das intervened. Acting on his instruction, police took a written declaration from the family confirming that they did not want a post-mortem. Following this, the hospital handed over the body to the family.
Earlier, the police had submitted a formal letter to the Medical Officer in charge of Nutan Bazar bazar CHC, under Amarpur Sub-division, requesting to keep the deceased’s body in the morgue for post-mortem examination. The letter identified the deceased as Gandhi Kumar Jamatia (20), son of Ratnadhan Jamatia of Chellagang mukh ADC Colony area under Birganj Police Station.
The incident brought to light a deeper conflict between medical protocols and indigenous customary law. While medical authorities are bound by standard procedures requiring a postmortem in cases of accidental, suspicious, or complaint-based deaths, the Jamatia community upholds its own customary law officially recognized by the Governor in 2017 which prioritizes community-led resolutions and traditional rites.
