Online Desk :
Amid rising coronavirus deaths in India, scores of half-decomposed and bloated bodies have been found floating at the Mahadeo ghat (bank) of the Ganga at Chausa village in Bihar, sparking outrage and shock.
Local officials said the bodies might have floated in from adjoining districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Chausa is about 10 kms from the headquarters of the border district of Buxar, adjoining eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The villagers first spotted several bodies floating along the bank of the river on Monday morning and informed local authorities.
“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.
According to Ashwini 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 these bodies which could be of COVID-19 victims. It will spread the virus as well,” he added.
“The dead bodies are bloated. They seem to have been in the water for at least 5-7 days. It needs to be investigated from where they’ve come. They could be from Varanasi or Allahabad,” senior official of the district K.K. Upadhayay told media.
