Nalanda: Body carried on pushcart for cremation in Biharsharif

BIHARSHARIF: The Nalanda District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) on Tuesday directed Hilsa SDM Radhakant to submit a report in two days explaining under what circumstances the body of a Covid patient was ‘disgracefully’ taken to cremation ground on pushcart meant for carrying garbage in Islampur Nagar Panchayat. The SDM said three sweepers have been terminated for dereliction of duty.
The DLSA secretary cum judge Aditya Pandey sought the report after a video went viral showing two persons in PPE kits carrying the body of a Covid patient on a pushcart to Islampur cremation ground.This was the second such incident reported in the district in two days.
Earlier on Sunday, a video had shown the body of a Covid suspect being carried to Sohsarai cremation ground on a garbage cart of Biharsharif Municipal Corporation. An FIR was lodged against the councillor of ward number 8 and four sweepers under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The ward jamadar and supervisor were suspended while the four sweepers were terminated late Monday evening.
It was found that the sweepers had connived with ward councillor Sushil Kumar Mithu, who had extorted Rs16,000 from a widow to cremate his son who had succumbed to the virus on May 13.
While investigating the Islampur incident, along with Hilsa ASDM Shashank Raj, executive officer of nagar panchayat Naveen Kumar and Islampur circle officer Ajay Kumar, the SDM said Covid positive Shankar Chaudhry of Malliksarai had died in home isolation five days ago. He said when nobody from the neighborhood came forward to help the kin of the deceased, they used the nearby parked nagar panchayat’s garbage cart for carrying the body to the cremation ground.
While taking cognizance of the Biharsharif incident, urban development and housing department’s principal secretary Anand Kishore directed the district officials to ensure stringent action against the accused and create awareness through media that bodies of the suspected or Covid patients are cremated by the municipal corporation free of cost.
The residents have urged Nalanda DM Yogendra Kumar Singh to lodge an FIR against ward jamadar and supervisor for their lapses. The DM had ordered an inquiry soon after the earlier video went viral on Sunday.