Victims’ bodies sent back in six spl ambulances

Prayagraj: In a damage control exercise, Prayagraj police hurriedly arranged six special ambulances on Sunday night to transport the bodies of 17 migrant workers, who died in the tragic road accident in Auraiya, to Jharkhand and West Bengal.
City police rushed to the rescue after Auraiya police drew flak for sending the bodies in a truck, citing constraints due to corona pandemic and lockdown. At least 26 migrant labourers were killed and 36 others injured when a trailer carrying them rammed a stationary DCM truck from behind on National Highway 19 in Auraiya district in the wee hours of Saturday.
The Jharkhand government had on Sunday appealed UP to arrange suitable transportation after going through reports that bodies of migrant labourers were being transported in truck from Auraiya to Bokaro.
IG Prayagraj range K P Singh told TOI, “Six special ambulances were arranged at Nawabganj, Prayagraj, on Delhi-Howarh highway on Sunday night to transport bodies of 17 migrants who had died in a road mishap in Auraiya district.”
“We had to send 11 bodies to Bokaro and six to Purulia in West Bengal. It took more than two hours to shift bodies from truck into ambulances while following all norms strictly. The West Bengal authorities took all six bodies on Varanasi border while 11 bodies were sent to Bokaro in three special ambulances,” he added.
Aurraiya police drew heavy criticism for sending the bodies in trucks. Jharkhand government took strong exception and criticised Auraiya police for the ‘insensitive treatment” meted out to bodies of migrant workers. The state government then directed Prayagraj police to take corrective measures and ensure bodies were transported to Bokaro in ambulances.