Body eaten by dogsin Ongole: MLA Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy demands justice to kin

Ongole: Kondapi MLA Dr Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy on Tuesday demanded the government to announce ex gratia of Rs 1 crore to the kin of the man, later identified as a former VRO, whose body is left for the dogs to feed on at the Government General Hospital here.

He said the government should do justice to the family of the former VRO for neglecting him in the Covid-19 treatment and facilities in the hospital.

The visitors of the Hospital in Ongole were horrified by the sight of the dogs feasting on a body left unattended in the premises on Monday. After being alerted, the hospital staff shifted the body of the unidentified man to the mortuary.

As the photos of the body were shared in social media on Tuesday, Ittadi Chandrasekhar, a Dalit leader of Kalikayi Bitragunta in Jarugumalli mandal reached the hospital and claimed that the body was of his father Ittadi Kantharao, a former VRO. He and his family members agitated in front of the hospital demanding an explanation on how his father, who was admitted to Ward No. 10 due to coronavirus on August 5, is found dead on the hospital premises on August 10.

Chandrasekhar told The Hans India that his father was announced infected with coronavirus on August 5 and was shifted by the medical team in the government ambulance in the night. On August 6 night, his father Kantharao called him up and complained that the hospital management didn't provide any food. Kantharao pleaded with his son to take him home and said that he was hungry. On August 7, the family members of Kantharao reached GGH Ongole, and alleged the staff told them that there was no patient by his name in the ward.

Chandrasekhar demanded the GGH administration to know how his father, who should be in the ward taking treatment ended up as a body being eaten by dogs in the hospital. Kondapi MLA Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy consoled the family members of Kantharao and demanded the government to ensure justice to them by taking action against the people involved and register cases under the SC ST Atrocity Act. He also asked the government to announce Rs 1 crore as an ex gratia to the kin of the dead VRO for the negligence in treatment and keeping safe of the body.