HYDERABAD: In a major mix-up, the Telangana state nodal centre for COVID-19, Gandhi Hospital staff once again handed over the body of a deceased COVID-19 patient to another family who had performed the last rites. The incident came to light after the family members of deceased COVID-19 patients reached the hospital on Wednesday.

According to reports, a 37-year-old Rashid Ali Khan was admitted in Gandhi hospital on June 8, and he died while undergoing treatment on Wednesday. Family members of the man were informed by staff over the death of their relative and they have reached the hospital on the same day and found out that the body of the man was missing.

Another man named Mahmood from Pahadishareef village of Hyderabad died in the same hospital and his body was kept beside Rashid's body. Family members of Mahmood's who had arrived early were asked to identify the body, and the staff handed over the Rashid's body to them, which the former's family cremated on the same day.

But Rashid's family members informed police over the missing of body and police later found out that the body of the man has been handed over to the family of another man who died in the same hospital due to COVID-19. Police even found that the body was cremated on Wednesday at Pahadi Shareef village on the outskirts of Hyderabad city.

Rashid's Family members told that patient was died in the wee hours of Wednesday. They were called to the hospital to identify the body on the same day, after reaching there the body was not found in the hospital.

Relatives added that they kept searching with the help of police, and later found out that the body has been handed over to another family who had performed last rites.

Relatives said that they were shocked after getting to know about the fact, and they were planning to lodge a police complaint against the hospital administration.