DHARWAD: In a surprising incident, a death certificate was issued in the name of a living person in Navalgund Taluk of Dharwad district. Following the discovery, Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu has ordered an inquiry.
According to sources, an application for the death certificate of Imamhusen Maktumbsab Mullanavar was submitted on August 27. According to sources Imamhusen himself applied, claiming to be the deceased's brother. The Municipal Council approved the request on August 29, issuing five copies of the death certificate.
The reason for this unusual application remains unclear. Close acquaintances of Imamhusen have provided conflicting explanations, with some suggesting he sought the certificate to clear debts, while others speculate it was intended to intimidate family members.
The incident came to light when local media got to know about this and questioned the Municipal Council officials about the certificate. Imamhusen has not been seen publicly since the news broke.
"We learned about the incident through the media. When I asked the officials they said that upon realizing the error, they wrote (to the statistics department) on September 9 to revoke the death certificate. I have ordered an inquiry into the matter, and appropriate action will be taken," Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu GRJ told Deccan Chronicle.
People have raised questions about the rapid issuance of the death certificate without proper verification from the Municipality. There are allegations that one of the witnesses who signed the application was a member of the Council.
Navalgund MLA Kona Reddy informed reporters that he had firmly instructed officials to ensure such incidents do not occur, even by mistake. He urged all members to carefully review any documents or letters before signing them.
A clear picture of the incident is set to be available after the inquiry ordered by the Deputy Commissioner.
