Date:07/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/07/stories/2005050707850400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Death certificate issued to a living person!

Staff Reporter

RAJAHMUNDRY: An instance of the Municipal Corporation issuing a death certificate to a living person has come to light here. V.Gangaraju, who sent his second son to get the death certificate of his first son, who died in 2003, was shocked to see the document issued to him in his name by the corporation officials. The whole episode started in November 2003. The Department of Health issued a death certificate in the name of Vinta Satynarayana Reddy, who died on October 17, 2003. The Health Department, inadvertently missed out `Reddy' at the end of the name. V. Gangaraju, father of Satyanarayana Reddy, went to the Municipal Corporation's birth and death cell and made a representation for the issue of a fresh certificate with correction in his son's death certificate in February 2005. The cell issued a fresh certificate on March 7 adding `Reddy' to Satyanarayana. But Gangaraju was shocked to see the certificate issued in his name and the names of father and son changed!