RAHIM YAR KHAN: The families and relatives of those who died or went missing in the Tezgam train inferno have complained of alleged improper response by the district administration and “manhandling” by guards of the Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital (SZMCH), besides lack of any support or guidance by railway ministry.

The families and relatives of the train blaze victims had to visit the SZMCH for their DNA test for identification of their dear ones, if any, among the dead bodies and to inquire after their injured kin. here on Saturday.

Jamil of Mirpur Khas told reporters here on Sunday that when he went to the SZMCH to look for the body of his nephew, some of the hospital staffers misbehaved him and refused to take his samples for DNA test, saying that only immediate family members (parrents, son, brother etc) could be tested.

Some of the complainants alleged that a man from Hyderabad who was looking for a relative was literally thrown out of the hospital by its three security guards after exchange of words.

Complain of lack of support, guidance by railway ministry

The guards also misbehaved with some reporters who wanted information about the camp established near the hospital’s mortuary for forensic tests were not allowed to visit the facility. They told by the staff that security director Dr Hafiz Umar Farooq had banned the entry of media persons “on the directions of chief minister”.

Sources said only 40 persons had been sampled for the DNA test till Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, a bus carrying relatives of 30 victims or missing persons was expected to reach the SZMCH from Mirpur Khas and Umarkot sent by the deputy commissioner concerned by Sunday night.

SZMCH focal person Rana Ilyas had neither any details of the discharged patients, nor any information about matching of the DNA samples, if any.

There was also no representative of the district government and Pakistan Railways present at the SZMCH to guide and facilitate the relatives of the victims or the missing persons.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2019