Half-burnt body leads police to callous ambulance driver

The ambulance driver, however, took the body to an isolated place in Ulavapadu mandal and set it ablaze on Sunday night.
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)

ONGOLE:  Investigating the case of a partially-burnt body found on the outskirts of Ulavapadu in Prakasam district, the police on Monday found that the victim had tested positive for Covid-19, and his relatives paid an ambulance driver Rs 17,000 to perform the last rites. The relatives said they did this as the villagers didn’t let them perform the final rites in the region fearing the spread of coronavirus. 

The ambulance driver, however, took the body to an isolated place in Ulavapadu mandal and set it ablaze on Sunday night. Noticing the flames, locals alerted the police and an investigation was launched.
During the post-mortem examination, forensic experts found that an autopsy had earlier been performed on the body. On probing this, the police learnt that the victim had died in a road accident and an autopsy was performed at the Government General Hospital, Ongole.

According to the police, a 29-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru went to his native place in Santhanuthalapadu mandal in April as he was to work from home due to the lockdown. On July 23, he visited Ongole to buy some household items, and while returning to his native place on a two-wheeler, a lorry hit him, leaving him severely injured. He died at the Ongole GGH.

The doctors conducted an autopsy, and as mandated, Covid-19 tests were performed, and the result returned positive. The youngster’s relatives consulted the village elders about performing his last rites in the village, but they strongly opposed it. An ambulance driver then approached the family saying he would cremate the body if they pay him. After bargaining, he agreed to perform the last rites for `17,000, the police said.

He took the body in his vehicle near the eucalyptus orchard of the Social Forestry department on the outskirts of Chagollu village, and burnt it with used tyres and petrol he bought on the way. He then returned to Ongole. “He violated the Covid-19 funeral protocol, creating fear among the villagers of Chagollu, which is a serious offence. We have registered a case against him and will arrest him soon,” Kandukur DSP K Srinivasa Rao told TNIE on Monday.

Those who hindered last rites to be booked
District Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Kaushal told officials to register cases against the villagers who didn’t let the relatives of the deceased perform the last rites

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