Thiruvananthapuram: Body parts sent for diagnosis at the Medical College Hospital were stolen, leading to the arrest of a scrap dealer. The incident involved specimens from 17 patients that were sent for pathological examination after surgery.
The specimens were placed near a staircase outside the pathology lab after being transported by an ambulance. While the ambulance driver and a Grade II attendant went to the microbiology lab, the scrap dealer allegedly stole the box containing the specimens.
Following an investigation, the police took the scrap dealer into custody. The Medical College police handled the case.
The arrested individual claimed he mistook the box for scrap and abandoned it near the principal’s office upon realizing it contained human body parts. The incident has exposed a serious security lapse in handling medical specimens.
