NHRC seeks report over 'improper' burial of COVID-19 patient in Puducherry
Responding to a complaint from the Secretary of the Federation for People’s Rights G Sugumaran, the NHRC on July 24 directed the district magistrate to furnish the report within six weeks.
Published: 18th August 2020 07:17 PM | Last Updated: 18th August 2020 07:20 PM | A+A A-
Representational image (Photo| Shriram BN, EPS)
PUDUCHERRY: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for a report from the Puducherry District Magistrate (DM) over the alleged improper burial of a COVID-19 patient on June 5.
Responding to a complaint from the Secretary of the Federation for People’s Rights G Sugumaran, the NHRC on July 24 directed the DM to furnish the report within six weeks.
Sugumaran in his complaint maintained that the body of Jyothimuthu who died of COVID-19 was thrown into the pit by health and municipality workers while burying it on June 5.
He alleged that video footage on social media showed the body being thrown into the pit in the presence of the Villianur Commune Panchayat Commissioner and Tahsildar without following the guidelines on burying bodies of COVID victims, thereby dishonouring it. He sought the intervention of the NHRC in this regard.
In a statement on Tuesday, Sugumaran said the Commission accepted the complaint and directed the Puducherry district collector in an order dated 24th July to initiate action and report to it by September 14.