BERHAMPUR: At a time when COVID-19 positive cases in the district are rising at an alarming rate, the fear of the disease has been bringing out the worst in people. The family of a youth Somnath Parida of Kabisuryanagar could not give him a decent burial even as it is unclear whether he died of the disease.
Somnath stayed in a rented house along with his younger brother and sister. They used to make a living by making and selling papads. He complained of fever last week and was taken to the local hospital on June 28. As he had symptoms similar to COVID-19 the doctors referred him to the COVID care centre at Hinjili.
As Somnath did not respond to treatment, he was referred to the COVID hospital at Sitalpali on Tuesday. However, he died on he way in the ambulance. His body was brought back to Kabisuryanagar by his siblings for cremation.
However, the locals did not allow the body to be taken off the vehicle following which his siblings took it to the graveyard. The locals did not allow them to conduct the funeral there and out of pity gave wood for cremation to the siblings. They then tried to cremate the body at another graveyard but in vain.
By this time, the driver of the ambulance lost his patience and asked the siblings to take the body off the vehicle near Dhanei river on the outskirts of Kabisuryanagar. He then left the spot. The siblings waited there along with the body.
A few locals the informed the police and NAC authorities of the matter. Finally, the local administration arranged a JCB to dig a pit at an isolated place near a graveyard where the body was buried.