Uttar Pradesh: Bodies floating in Yamuna in Hamirpur trigger COVID-19 scare, authorities deny link

The local residents had spotted the bodies, including a half-burnt corpse, under a bridge on the Yamuna.

Representational Image (ANI)

New Delhi: Over five bodies floating in the Yamuna river in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district have triggered a COVID-19 scare amongst the locals, a link which has been denied by the authorities.

The residents had spotted the bodies, including a half-burnt corpse, under a bridge on the Yamuna on May 6, the PTI news agency reported on Monday (May 10, 2021). 

Hamirpur Superintendent of Police Narendra Kumar Singh confirmed to PTI that some local residents had spotted the bodies floating in the Yamuna.

Singh said, "There were five bodies, of which one body was partially burnt. The bodies were handed over to the municipal body for cremation."

District Magistrate Gyaneshwar Tripathi said, "After speaking to people and looking at the bodies, prima facie, it can be said these were not of COVID-19 patients as these were draped in a traditional manner and nobody was wrapped as done in the case of COVID-19 victims." 

He also stated that all the bodies were cremated with full respect.

Tripathi informed that the local residents told police that people immerse bodies of their family members who die during the 'Panchak Nakshatra' and refrain from their cremation.

He said some local fishermen also told them that people generally tie a body to boulders and heavy stones before immersing it in the river.

"At times, bodies that are not completely burnt are also immersed in the river," Tripathi said.

"But this time, due to shallow water, the bodies came to the surface of the river, triggering panic among people," he added.

As per the latest reports, the upper riparian district of Kanpur has been informed to take necessary action in this regard while the Hamirpur police has been deployed to keep a vigil.

(With agency inputs)