Editorial
Relative stumbles on legal hassles, fails to perform nephew’s last rites
A KEM gynecologist’s death on March 7 triggering legal row had delayed his last rites. Since past two weeks post his death DrJayantRege’s (59) body remained unclaimed as he had allegedly severed ties with his relatives after his mother’s death. He had died of a cardiac arrest in a Churchgate bound suburban train on way to KEM hospital at Parel.
Rege suffered the attack when the local was approaching Mahalaxmi station two weeks ago. He was immediately rushed to the BYL Nair hospital, Mumbai Central, but was declared dead on arrival there. The police found his distant uncle, an ENT surgeon, who had elicited his willingness earlier to perform the last rites of his nephew. But wary of the legal tangle shrouding
Rege’s death he aborted his plan. ‘I’m an old man,’ had said the octogenarian relative, ‘and lack stamina to get into legal hassles.’The Nagpada police had Rege's bank passbooks in their custody. The police believed
this would help at a time when someone emerge as relatives of the deceased and claimed his assets. Therefore they will not hand over the body and let someone perform the rites. “We learned he had relatives but severed ties with most of them and leading a lonely life," an officer said. The KEM fraternity was rued over the last rites delay.
