Security personnel deployed at crematoriums in Surat

SURAT: In a bid to prevent the entry of outsiders, especially relatives of deceased Covid patients, inside crematoriums, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has deployed security personnel at two main crematoriums where such bodies are taken for rites.
Sources said that the decision to deploy security was taken after pictures and videos of bodies lined up at the Ashwani Kumar crematorium were posted on the social media a few days ago.
Municipal commissioner, Banchhanidhi Pani, however, refused to comment on the deployment of security guards.
“If we compare the month-wise figures of cremations in the city, it has gone down, except for the marginal increase in the month of June, due to Covid-19 outbreak,” Pani, however, said.
On the other hand, trustee of the Kurushetra crematorium in Jehanagirpura, Kamlesh Sailor said, “On an average, we get about 30 bodies, a majority of them being Covid-19 positive or even of suspected cases. We had urged the civic body for deployment of security guards to manage the rush at the crematorium." He further said that they have also asked the authorities to send less than six bodies in one batch to facilitate smooth passage of cremation.
“We get about 60 bodies, including Covid and non-Covid deceased. Since we were unable to manage the rush, the civic authorities have deployed security personnel to help us deal with the unwanted rush,” said a trustee of the Ashwani Kumar crematorium, who didn’t want to be identified.