LUCKNOW: Fearing coronavirus, the body of a 45-year-old man was taken to the mortuary in a garbage van by the municipal employees in Balrampur district in central UP.
A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, shows the municipal workers dumping the body into the garbage van in the presence of three cops in uniform.
The deceased, identified as Mohammed Anwar, was a resident of Sahzora village under Sadullahnagar police station in Balrampur. He had gone to a local government office where he collapsed and died later near the gate.
Taking cognizance of the video, Balrampur district administration and the police authorities suspended three police personnel including a Sub-Inspector and four municipal workers. District Magistrate Krishna Karunesh has ordered a probe into the incident.
The sources claimed that fearing the coronavirus, the cops and ambulance staff had refused to touch the body.
Expressing shock and awe, Balrampur SP Dev Ranjan Verma called it extremely insensitive and inhuman. He also issued a warning and instructed all the cops to revise the lessons on “sensitivity”.
“We have a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with the cases involving bodies. Usually, UP 112 PRVs are informed which have a kit for keeping the body and carrying it to the mortuary. Following COVID -19 scare, PPE-kits have been given to each police station for wearing while on frontline duties and also while handling bodies,” he said.