Security guard turned autopsy man in GMC Anantnag cries foul, alleges termination from services

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag:  A 23 -year-old security guard-turned ‘autopsy man’, Umer Shabir, is crying foul as he allegedly has been terminated from the services by his employer at Govt Medical College (GMC), Anantnag. The allegation has been denied by the GMC authorities.
According to the reports available with Arising State, Umar Shabir, hailing from Bulbul, Nowgam,Anantnag, had joined GMC Anantnag as a security gaurd in 2014 through HDF (Hospital Development fund) and ended up being an autopsy expert in the same hospital .
So far, Shabir, as claimed by him, has performed scores of autopsies successfully which have proved as an   evidence in some of the most tragic deaths occurred in past several years here in Anantnag District.
The journey from security gaurd to autopsy expert of  Shabir  is quite  shocking untill recently when he was  ‘terminated’ from his duty.
According to official guidelines, the eligibility for performing  autopsies,  a candidate must hold an MBBS degree from a recognized medical college. After MBBS, the candidate can go for MD with specialization in Pathology or B.Sc in Pathology followed by a Master’s degree can also help candidates to pursue a career as a Forensic Pathologist. But here in GMC Anantnag the officials have been violating all the norms in broad daylight  where  a security guard has been performing  autopsy in the forensic lab.

Talking to Arising state Umer alleged that his services have been  terminated by the GMC administration recently, the reason being after umer disclosed his job responsibilities to media.  According to Umer the officials at  GMC Anantnag have asked him not to join the duty  as he had disclosed his unofficial job profile , which included performing autopsies in the forensic lab to media.
As per Umer he joined GMC Anantnag through HDF (Hospital Development fund)in 2014  as security guard ,however ,after one year the officials in GMC Anantnag assigned him another job after the retirement of an employee in Forensic lab.  Since then, umer claimed , ‘he has performed at least 120 post mortems in GMC Anantnag.’ Umer said that he has given six years of his life to the hospital performing different jobs from  helping  doctors in the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT) Department in GMC Anantnag to performing  autopsy procedures  in  GMC Anantnag.

Umer demanded justice from the GMC administration and said that this job was the only source of income for him and his family . He has old parents , two sisters and a younger brother who are dependent on him . Umer wants to resume his previous job  .

Speaking about his nature of work, Umer Shabir said that he  dissects the body picks out the organ as per the doctor’s instructions. Then the doctor writes the report after a thorough examination of the body.

Recently some forensic videos of Umer have also gone viral on social media in which umer can be  seen  performing  autopsies in GMC Anantnag.

”I would receive phone calls in the middle of the night from GMC Anantnag to do the post mortems ‘,at a meek salary of Rs 6000  from the GMC ,Umer has been doing all the odd as well as most coveted jobs at the hospital.

Umer had requested several times to higher authorities to hike his salary, but it was of  no avail. According to him in year 2018 he left his job in forensic lab at GMC Anantnag however, after some days the then Principal GMC Anantnag Dr Showkat Jeelani and other officials  requested him to continue his job and assured him of  regularizing his services  in GMC Anantnag.

Sources told  Arising state that the GMC administration has made a Committee two months back to probe the facts of Umer after the media highlighted the matter. However,after passing of two months the committee is yet to submit any report.

Meanwhile, Umer has not received any written termination order from officials. According to Umer, some officials have verbally told him not to  join duty .

Talking to Arising state, Principal GMC Anantnag Dr Syed Tariq Qureshi said that they have not disengaged Umer from his duty , but shifted him from his  job, he said. He added  that they have warned Umer that such an irrelevent statement should not have been made.