Wayanad Landslides: Kerala Government Issues Guidelines for Burial of Unidentified Remains

In response to the ongoing recovery of bodies and body parts from landslide-hit areas in a north Kerala district, many of which remain unidentified or unclaimed, the state government has issued new guidelines for the burial of these remains. The guidelines stipulate the collection of DNA and dental samples to aid in the identification process.

According to the guidelines issued by the Disaster Management Department, an identification number shall be assigned to each body or body part and the same shall be clearly mentioned in all the samples, photographs or videos of the remains and the record of material objects associated with the body.

The guidelines also specify that the police must make every effort to identify the bodies or body parts. If identification remains unsuccessful, the police are instructed to release the bodies to the district administration for further action after 72 hours from the time of inquest.

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The district administration shall inform Meppadi panchayat and the panchayat or municipality in which the burial site is located. In cases where the doctor concerned has advised, in writing, immediate burial due to decomposition or otherwise, the body shall be released to the district administration immediately without any waiting period. "The disposal of bodies shall only be in the form of burial," the guidelines issued on August 2 said.

The district administration has been instructed to ensure that each body is buried with a clear identification number marked at the burial site. Additionally, burials must be conducted in the presence of officials from the relevant panchayat or municipality. The guidelines also mandate that the district administration maintain detailed records of burial locations for future reference. Similar procedures apply to bodies that are identified but not claimed, as well as those with contested or doubtful identification.