The kin of two people with similar names and age ended up taking the wrong body for cremation in Maharashtra's Raigad district before differences in the moustaches of the deceased cleared the confusion.
While Ramakant Patil (62), a resident of Pezari village in Alibag tehsil, died of blood pressure and diabetes at MGM Hospital, Ram Patil (66) of Dahivali village in Panvel tehsil succumbed to kidney and liver issues at the same facility.
"Relatives of Ramakant Patil, just before the cremation, realised the deceased's moustache was different. The hospital was contacted but the staffers there refused to admit any goof-up," a kin said.
The kin of Ram Patil too realised something was amiss and both groups reached MGM Hospital, whose administration made arrangements to swap the bodies. Meanwhile, the hospital management defended itself in a statement and said the kin had seen the bodies before accepting it.