Relatives throw Covid patient's body into river in UP's Balrampur, booked after video goes viral

Balrampur: An FIR has been filed against family members of a deceased who allegedly died from COVID-19 and whose body was thrown by them into Rapti river near Dehat Kotwali police station area here, police sources said on Sunday.

(Photo:Screenshot of viral video)

The matter came into the acknowledgment after a video of the alleged incident surfaced and started making rounds over social media, sources said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr VB Singh told UNI that an investigation was conducted and it was found that the victim identified as Premnath Mishra (45), living in the neighbouring district Siddharthnagar, was admitted to a hospital on May 25 after testing positive for COVID-19.

However, he succumbed to the virus on May 28 and the health workers handed the body to his family members at the cremation ground for the last rites, the CMO said.

But the family members instead of cremating him threw the body in the Rapti river late on Saturday night, he alleged.

At the complaint from the CMO, the case was registered, police sources said.

After dozens of bodies were found floating in the rivers of Uttar Pradesh, the government ordered a strict surveillance, conduction of cremation for those who can not afford it and book people if found dumping the bodies in the water bodies. (UNI)