Nation’s shame. After Bihar's Buxar, several decomposed dead bodies now found floating in the Ganga near Patna's Gulabi Ghat. After Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, dead bodies have been found floating in Madhya Pradesh, too. At least two bodies have been found in the Runjh river in Panna district, triggering a war of words between the BJP and Congress.
District Magistrate Chandrasheker Singh has directed municipal authorities to retrieve the dead bodies and cremate them properly.
According to eyewitnesses, the majority of the dead bodies are partially burnt.
“After the emergence of dead bodies in Gulabi Ghat, we have asked police and civil administration to intensify vigil along the river in a bid to ensure no one dumps dead bodies in the waters. We have also asked municipal corporation officers to take out the bodies and cremate them properly,” the District Magistrate said.
The counting of dead bodies is underway in Gulabi Ghat, a cremation ground located at Mahendru area of the state capital.
According to a shop owner at Gulabi Ghat, a number of people, generally poor people unable to bear the expenses of cremation materials, are allegedly dumping dead bodies in the river without cremation in the absence of police personnel.
The District Magistrate said: “We have been appealing to people of Bihar not to dump dead bodies in rivers without cremation. We are also making efforts to find out whether dead bodies are coming from other places.”
Meanwhile, in Buxar, five dead bodies were found in a net placed by district administration in the Ganga at Rani Ghat. The dead bodies came from adjoining Uttar Pradesh, say officials.
On Tuesday, 71 dead bodies floating from upstream Uttar Pradesh were found on the banks of the Ganga at Chausa in Buxar. Besides, two dozen dead bodies also found in neighbouring Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh as well.
After scores of decomposed and half-burnt bodies were found floating in the Ganga river, former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad targeted the government over the issue.
Lalu Prasad alleged that the deceased did not get treatment when they were alive and are not even getting shrouds after their death.
Lalu Prasad tweeted, “While they were alive they did not get medicine, oxygen, beds and treatment. Now after death, no shrouds, wood, and the ground where they could be cremated. Out of extreme miseries, dead bodies were thrown into the Ganges. Dogs are eating corpses. Hindus are being buried. Where are you taking this country and humanity?”
Earlier, RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav also targeted the government on this issue.
Tejaswi wrote on Twitter, “Hundreds of corpses were found floating in the Ganges in Bihar’s Buxar. Imagine how terrible the situation is. The government is still in denial and not accepting the ground reality. The double engine government has failed, so now the infection has spread to the villages as well. After hospitals, there is no place even in crematoriums? People are forced to throw dead bodies into the river.”
Several bodies have been recovered in Chausa in Buxar district of Bihar. After this, a net has been placed in the Ganges river at the border to stop the bodies from coming into Bihar.
After Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, dead bodies have been found floating in Madhya Pradesh, too. At least two bodies have been found in the Runjh river in Panna district, triggering a war of words between the BJP and Congress.
The district administration claims that both these bodies are of persons who were suffering from various diseases and were thrown into the river as per the local tradition.
However, according to unconfirmed reports, at least six bodies have been found floating in the Runjh river.
After the recoveries of the bodies, a war of words has ensued between the BJP and Congress.
Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath said, “Shivraj ji, till now we were seeing pictures of dead bodies floating in the Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. But it is now seen in Nandanpur village of Ajaygarh tehsil of Panna district in Madhya Pradesh too. Horrific pictures of six floating bodies have come to light in Runjh river. This is a very serious matter.”
Kamal Nath added that conditions in the rural areas are appalling due to coronavirus infections. The government should take immediate cognisance of the matter and conduct a thorough investigation. It should increase the health services and resources in rural areas on a war footing.
Rebutting the allegations of the Congress, BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said, “Kamal Nath I should stop the politics on dead bodies. This is totally untrue that six corpses have been found in Runjh river in Panna. Only two dead bodies have been found and they are of people suffering from cancer and leprosy, which are not cremated, as per the local tradition. The Congress does not leave even the corpses to do politics.”
He said, “Kamal Nath ji, shame on your understanding and mental bankruptcy. By spreading false news about the corpses you have shown how insensitive you are. The people will never forgive you for misleading statements and telling lies.”
After investigating the case, of the bodies in Runjh river, Panna District Magistrate Sanjay Mishra said only two bodies were found. One of them was Shivram who was suffering from leprosy while the other was of Kallu Ahirwar who was suffering from cancer. According to the belief and tradition in the village, the bodies of people suffering from leprosy and cancer are thrown into the river, he added.
After a large number of bodies were fished out of Ganga in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the West Bengal government has asked the Malda district administration to step up vigil along the river for bodies found floating downstream and cremate them in keeping with protocol.
Ganga enters West Bengal through Malda and so surveillance has been increased in the district to restrict the bodies from entering the state.
According to senior government officials, Ganga touches the state at Manikchawk block via Rajmahal in Jharkhand and so measures have been taken to stop the floating bodies near Manikchawk so that it doesn’t reach Farakka barrage.
“The river in Manikchawk is wide. We are trying to restrict it near Gadai island where the river is comparatively narrow. Gadai island is a little away from Manikchawk. It will be easier for us to trace the floating bodies there,” a senior district state government official said.
Several boats have been arranged — near Gadai island of Manikchak block — to inspect the Ganga from Friday.
Police stations adjoining the riverbank in — Bhutni, Manikchak, Mothabari and Baishnabnagar — have been alerted as also civil defence volunteers.
“The time of surveillance is yet to be finalized. We are waiting for a nod from the DM. We are announcing for people not to panic.
“As soon such a body is spotted, it would be recovered and disposed of accordingly,” the DM said.
“We are taking all measures but considering the present level and current of water in the Ganga, we think the possibility is remote of bodies flowing in in the next 24 hours,” a senior administration official at Manikchawk block said.
The floating bodies attracted government attention after many decomposed and bloated bodies were found floating in the Ganga over the past couple of days, triggering fears among local residents in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh that bodies of Covid victims were being dumped in the river.
While 71 of the bodies have been fished out in Bihar’s Buxar district, at least 25 bodies were found in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district. (IANS)