Agartala, 1st August 2026: Allegations of persistent extortion by morgue attendants at the GB Hospital morgue have raised serious questions over the functioning and monitoring of the facility. Families bringing deceased relatives for post-mortem examinations allegedly face demands for money despite the procedure being officially free of cost.
A prominent signboard at the morgue states that no payment is required for a post-mortem examination and that the service is provided free of charge. Despite this, allegations suggest that two morgue attendants have been demanding amounts ranging from Rs 100 to more than Rs 1,000 from grieving families. According to the allegations, those who refuse to pay are allegedly made to face difficulties in getting the bodies admitted to the morgue for autopsy.
Families, already distressed by the loss of their loved ones, reportedly often pay the demanded amount to avoid confrontation or further complications. Complaints about the alleged practice have reportedly persisted for a long time, but questions remain over why effective action has not been taken by the concerned GB police outpost, the Medical Superintendent of GB Hospital or the Health Department.
The issue came into sharper focus on Saturday when the son of Pintu Shil of Udaipur spoke to the media and alleged that he and his brother were separately forced to pay Rs 200 each to the two attendants.
According to sources, the alleged extortion may not be limited to the two attendants. Several others are reportedly involved, with the illegally collected money allegedly being distributed among them as commissions at the end of the day.
The allegations, if established, point to a serious failure of supervision at the state’s premier government hospital. The demand for money from bereaved families over a service that is officially free has also sparked calls for an immediate investigation and strict action against those found responsible.
