install-docs fails on corrupted (zero'ed) package config file caused by XFS

Binary package hint: python-egenix-mxdatetime

I have stuck in the middle of my dapper to edgy upgrade because I can't uninstall the following packages:

python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime
python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools
python2.4-egenix-mxtools

Here is the output from apt-get:

$ sudo apt-get --purge remove python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools python2.4-egenix-mxtools
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime python2.4-egenix-mxtools
  python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime* python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools*
  python2.4-egenix-mxtools*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 3 to remove and 524 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 1225kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?
(Reading database ... 158323 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime ...
syntax error in status file: at /usr/sbin/install-docs line 406, <S> line 1.
dpkg: error processing python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime (--purge):
 subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 255
Removing python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools ...
syntax error in status file: at /usr/sbin/install-docs line 406, <S> line 1.
dpkg: error processing python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools (--purge):
 subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 255
dpkg: python2.4-egenix-mxtools: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you request:
 python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools depends on python2.4-egenix-mxtools.
 python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime depends on python2.4-egenix-mxtools.
Removing python2.4-egenix-mxtools ...
syntax error in status file: at /usr/sbin/install-docs line 406, <S> line 1.
dpkg: error processing python2.4-egenix-mxtools (--purge):
 subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 255
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.4-egenix-mxdatetime
 python2.4-egenix-mxtexttools
 python2.4-egenix-mxtools
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)