A queer man from Kerala’s Kochi approached the High Court to seek permission for receiving the mortal remains of his live-in partner, after the deceased’s family denied to collect the body from the hospital.
The man, Jebin was living with his partner, Manu in Kochi. According to an India Today report, on February 2, the latter fell from the terrace of their home, following which he was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition.
The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Thursday afternoon and has also asked a family member to appear before it on the day of the hearing.
Manu, passed away on the night of February 4 after being on ventilator support for two days. After his death, his family who had even denied to cover the medical expenses, also denied claiming his body. The body could not be claimed by his partner Jebin as the law does not recognise him as his legal heir.
Later, Jebin filed a petition with the High Court seeking permission to claim his late partner’s body. The petition was soon reviewed by the High Court following which a notice was sent to the private hospital via email.
On February 6, during the hearing, the High Court requested for an explanation from the government regarding the protocol for unclaimed bodies, the India Today report quoted.
As per the protocol, when biological family members or legal heirs fail to claim a body, it gets transferred to a government medical college for medical research.
Jebin was represented in the case by Advocate Padma Lakshmi, Kerala’s first transgender lawyer, who said, “This concerns the rights of a queer individual, and Manu’s body has the right to receive every religious ceremony”.
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