India, July 31 -- In a case of negligence, health department officials in Palwal civil hospital allegedly handed over wrong bodies to families of two Meerut-based traders after autopsy. Both had died in a road accident on the Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal Expressway on Monday.

The mix-up came to light on Tuesday morning when it was time to take the body to the cremation ground from the residence in Swami Pada locality, and a friend of one of the deceased, Abhinav Agarwal, 42, opened the shroud to pour 'Ganga jal' in his mouth, said police.

The deceased's friend Saurav Agarwal raised suspicion and asked close relatives to reverify the body identity, said police.

The shocked family noticed that the authorities had blundered, and alerted the ot...