Bodies of two girls handed over to wrong families at Stanley Hospital

A view of the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital. (File) | Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM A lapse at the Stanley Medical College Hospital came to light after the bodies of two girls were allegedly exchanged and handed over to the wrong families following post-mortem examinations.Anushka, 19, a resident of Tiruvallur district, had been admitted to the hospital after she allegedly attempted to end her life, and later died during treatment. In an unrelated case, Priyadarshini, 17, from Manali, also ended her life, and her body was brought to the Stanley Hospital for a post-mortem.Following the autopsies, hospital staff handed over the bodies to the respective families based on token numbers. The error surfaced only after Priyadarshini’s relatives opened the coffin at their residence and realised the body was not hers.The family immediately informed hospital authorities, who launched an internal inquiry. The inquiry confirmed that the bodies had been inadvertently swapped when it was handed over. Hospital staff subsequently retrieved the bodies and handed them over to the correct families. Authorities are examining how the mix-up occurred.(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050). Published - July 27, 2026 07:15 pm IST