A full year has now passed since the death of veteran trade unionist M.M. Lawrence, yet his mortal remains are still awaiting a final resting place. Currently, they are embalmed and carefully preserved within the Anatomy department of Government Medical College, Ernakulam, entangled in ongoing legal disputes.
Despite a recent court order that seemingly greenlit the use of his body for medical purposes, sources within the hospital indicate that the prevailing confusion means they cannot proceed with its use.
The medical college authorities took action to embalm the body a month after receiving it, a necessary step to prevent decomposition. It was subsequently transferred to a formalin tank, as confirmed by hospital sources.
Typically, bodies donated to medical colleges for research and education are preserved in formaldehyde tanks post-embalming. They are then utilized for medical education, provided there are no legal complications attached.
“Situations like this are quite rare,” a hospital source noted. “Currently, this is the only body we have that is caught in such an unusual state of uncertainty.”
The legal saga surrounding Lawrence’s remains began when his daughter, Asha Lawrence, initiated court proceedings. She challenged her brother M.L. Sajeevan’s decision to hand over their father’s body to the medical college for research and academic purposes.
Lawrence, who was 95, passed away on September 21, 2024.
In October, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court had dismissed a review petition filed by Ms. Lawrence and her sister, Sujatha Boban. Their petition aimed to overturn the court’s earlier verdict, which had dismissed their original plea against the body’s donation to the medical college.
Both the High Court and the Supreme Court had previously rejected their appeals to have the body released for burial according to Christian rites.
“My father was a true fighter throughout his life. Now, even his body seems to be in a fight, although I personally don’t believe a deceased person’s body can literally fight,” remarked Mr. Sajeevan.
He further elaborated, “My father, or ‘Appachan’ as we called him, had explicitly expressed his desire to donate his body for medical studies while he was alive. Many people can confirm this. However, for now, we are letting the courts make the final decision.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Lawrence confirmed her intention to consult with her lawyer to explore further legal avenues in the case.