India: Body of Covid-19 patient thrown into river, family booked

Despite strict instructions by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh against the disposal of dead bodies in rivers and other water bodies, the video of a body of a Covid-19 patient being thrown into a river has surfaced.

A case has been registered against the family, the police said.

The incident was apparently shot by a couple of people who were driving by the spot in Balrampur district on May 28.

Two men, one of them in a PPE suit, are seen lifting a body on the bridge over Rapti river. The man in the PPE suit can be seen trying to get the body out of the body bag, the video shows.

The chief medical officer of Balrampur has confirmed that the body was indeed of a Covid-19 patient, and the relatives were dumping it in the river.

A case has been filed against the relatives of the deceased and the body has been handed back to them.

"Preliminary investigations have revealed that the patient was admitted to hospital on May 25, and he died three days later. As per Covid protocol, the body was handed over to his relatives. The relatives threw the body into the river. We have filed a case and strict action will be taken," said Balrampur chief medical officer V.V. Singh.

Earlier this month, hundreds of bodies had washed up on the banks of the Ganges in parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after which the chief minister asked all district magistrates to ensure that the bodies were properly disposed of.

• India