Videos of several bodies of suspected COVID-19 victims seen floating in the Ganga at Chausa village of Buxar district in Bihar have gone viral on social media, sparking outrage and shock.
The residents of the village have demanded deployment of an official at the cremation ground and inquiry.
Chausa is about 10 kms from headquarters of the border district of Buxar, adjoining eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The villagers first spotted the several bodies floating along the bank of the river on Monday morning and informed local authorities.
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“Nearly 30-40 dead bodies can be seen in the Ganga and there are stray dogs roaming around. Yes, most of them are likely to be those of COVID-19 victims,” social activist and local lawyer Ashwini Varma told The Hindu over the phone.
According to Mr. Varma, the exorbitant cost of cremation could have forced the poor to jettison bodies in the river.
“It nearly costs ₹30,000-40,000 to cremate a body. So the poor people prefer to push bodies into the river Ganga,” he said. “Stray dogs are devouring the dead bodies which could be of COVID-19 victims. It will spread the virus as well,” he added.
The local officials at the site admit unofficially that most the bodies could be of infected persons.
“We’re on the spot right now and nothing can be said till an inquiry is held but yes, the bodies are there, floating into the river,” said a local official.
The villagers of Chausa have demanded the deployment of an official at the cremation grounds to control the price of firewood “so that people are not forced to throw the dead into the river”.