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Over 80 bodies found in Ganga in UP, Bihar
All bodies found in highly decomposed state; doctors refuse to conduct autopsy.
Local administration fished at least 70 corpses out of the Ganga in Bihar’s Buxar district on Tuesday and residents spotted 12 dead bodies floating in the same river upstream in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, triggering probes in both states and speculation that the bodies belonged to Covid patients.
Buxar district magistrate (DM) Aman Samir said 71 bodies were recovered over the past 24 hours at Mahadeva ghat in Chausa village, a day after 30 corpses were seen floating in the river at the same spot.
Samir said he proposed conducting autopsy of the bodies but that was not possible. “The doctors refused as the dead bodies are in highly decomposed condition and seem to be five to six days old,” he said. District administration officials said that some bodies were covered with shrouds. Such bodies are generally wrapped in plastic sheets.
Roughly 40 km upstream from Chausa, at least 12 bodies were found floating in Bara and Gahmar areas of Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. The local administration initiated a probe into the matter.
“Our officials are present on the spot and an investigation is underway. We are trying to find out from where these bodies came,” Ghazipur district magistrate MP Singh said. Bara town shares a boundary with Buxar. Gahmar is two kilometres away.
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The recovery of decomposed corpses in the Ganga has set off alarm bells in the administration and among residents in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, especially because the river acts as a source of drinking water and livelihood. Local activists have alleged that the bodies belong to Covid patients who couldn’t be given a proper funeral due to shortages and fear of the virus in rural areas. The administration in both states have ordered probes and said many bodies were far too decomposed to conduct tests.
On Tuesday, Union minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, termed the incidents as “unfortunate” and asked concerned states to take immediate cognizance.
“The incident of corpses found floating in the Ganga in Buxar region of Bihar is unfortunate. This is definitely a matter of investigation. The Modi government is committed to the cleanliness ‘mother’ Ganga. This incident is unexpected. The concerned states should take immediate cognizance in this regard,” Shekhawat tweeted.
In Buxar, the district administration said the DNA of corpses will be preserved. “Here at Buxar and also in Bihar there is a custom to burn the dead bodies but when a team was sent to Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh to find the truth, it was found that some people believe in the custom to throw the dead bodies in river rather than to burn it,” Samir said.
The administration is also performing the last rites of bodies. “The religion of dead bodies is not known, and the dead bodies are in decomposed condition, so it has been decided to bury all the bodies. For this, large pits have been dug,” the DM said. At the time of filling this report, Chausa circle officer (CO) Nawalkant (only one name) said that 71 dead bodies have been recovered and the process to dispose of them is continuing.
Senior police officials in Bihar said there was little doubt that the bodies had floated down from upstream states -- a charge denied by Uttar Pradesh.
In Ghazipur, local residents said they sounded alarm on Tuesday morning. “I received information that two bodies were floating in the Ganga in Bara area of Ghazipur. I along with my team reached the spot...this is a matter of grave concern,” said Ramesh Kumar Maurya, sub divisional magistrate of Sevrai division.
Mubarakpur village chief, Shyamnarayan Singh, said some families had dumped the bodies in the river because they couldn’t afford cremations. “In rural pocket, this has been taking place for the last one week,” said former village chief of Gahmar, Durga Chaurasia.
