Bodies found floating in Yamuna in UP’s Hamirpur: Cops

Amid a severe wave of Covid-19 infections in Uttar pradesh, several unidentified and partially burnt bodies were spotted floating in the Yamuna river in Hamirpur, according to residents of the town who alerted the police. Two bodies were partially burnt, police said on Sunday.

Anoop Singh, the additional Superintendent of Police, Hamirpur, said that many families instead of burning the mortal remains of their dead kin preferred to immerse them in the river as the last rites. He said they were looking into the matter and were also in contact with the police of Kanpur Outer and Kanpur Dehat. “Two of the bodies were partially burnt. We have informed the two districts and have also stepped up vigil in our area,” he added.

“In the second wave of the pandemic, people have died in large numbers in villages and people out of fear are not helping one another. In such a scenario, they are dumping their dead into the rivers,” said Dinesh Nigam, the councillor from Maudaha, Hamirpur Nagar Palika.

On Thursday, some passers-by spotted over a dozen bodies floating in the river and informed police control room. Meanwhile, an investigation was underway and efforts were on to establish the identities of the deceased.

The state recorded 23,175 fresh Covid-19 infections and 294 fatalities on Sunday.