Set Guidelines Over Unclaimed Dead Bodies: SHRC To Tamil Nadu Government

Chennai, Tamil Nadu: On Tuesday (May 6), the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) proposed Tamil Nadu government to formulate guidelines over unclaimed dead bodies across the State and for paying last tributes to them. Besides, SHRC member V. Kannadasan advocated government to allot required funds to authorities in all the Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, town and village panchayats regarding this subject.

The Commission’s involvement in this matter traced back to a newspaper report published in April 2018, and it subsequently initiated proceedings on its own. The report stated that the body of a 70-year-old man was carried in a garbage cart to the burial ground in Sholingar town panchayat in Ranipet district and it generated social outrage.

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After reviewing all records, the Commission observed that it was certainly confirmed that the incident occurred due to the neglect on the part of then Special Sub Inspector of Police (since dead) attached to Sholinghur police station.

“The concept of human rights primarily focuses on the rights and dignity of living individuals. However, the rights of deceased persons can also be approached from various angles within human rights frameworks,” the Hindu quotes, as the Commission is saying.

Adding further, the SHRC also stressed the importance of posthumous rights, rights of the deceased in legal contexts, cultural and religious practices, psychological impact on the living, and human rights violations.

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The Commission also underlined that the directives should be shared with all the Corporations, Municipalities, Town Panchayats and Village Panchayats concerning this issue.

(with inputs from The Hindu)