Fearing Covid, villagers beat up ghat employee

Gorakhpur: Villagers on Thursday thrashed a registration clerk of Gaura Katailwa Mukti Dham in Barhaj area of Deoria to protest the cremation of bodies of Covid victims at the ghat.
On the complaint of the clerk, the police detained three persons on Friday and initiated a probe into the matter. The villagers were fearing the spread of Covid in their village due to cremation of bodies of Covid victims at the ghat. The incident of youths thrashing the clerk was captured in CCTV.
The registration clerk identified as Sri Niwas told reporters that some youths of Katailwa village barged into the office of Gaura Katailwa Mukti Dham and started beating him with sticks. They left the spot only after some people came to rescue him. “I have filed a complaint with the police,” he said.
He said that due to pandemic, 40-60 cremations are taking place at the ghat every day. Fearing the spread of coronavirus infection, villagers have started protesting against the cremation of bodies there.
President of Gaura Katailwa Mukti Dham Jai Prakash Mishra told reporters that the youths also threatened him and other staff of the Mukti Dham. “I have demanded police security at the cremation ground so that people can perform last rites of their kin without any fear,” he said.
ASP, Deoria, Rajesh Kumar Sonkar said, “Three persons have been detained in this connection.”