Government doctors at a community health centre at Gadara Road in Barmer district performed postmortem on two bodies on the road, which was objected to by locals, but health officials justified the action on “humanitarian ground”, saying no mortuary was available within 100 km.

“There is no mortuary in 100-kilometre stretch between Barmer and Gadara Road. After requests from the police and family members, doctors performed the postmortem in the open on humanitarian grounds,” said Dr Kamlesh Choudhary, chief medical and health officer in Barmer. “Protocol has been followed during the postmortem.”