Dead bodies were found floating on the banks of river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur, a day after a similar incident was noted in Bihar’s Buxar

The spot in Ghazipur where bodies were found was 55 kilometres upriver from Buxar, where over 50 dead bodies were seen floating on Monday, reported ANI. 

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The Ghazipur District Magistrate MP Singh in a statement to ANI said, “We got the information, our officers are present on spot and an investigation is underway. We are trying to find out where they came from.” 

As per NDTV, it is suspected that locals are fearing further spread of infection after families were forced to dispose the bodies in the river due to high cost of pyres and absence of COVID protocols in rural crematoriums.

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Buxar district authorities had claimed that the bodies came floating from neighbouring state, Uttar Pradesh, according to TOI. Adding that there was no tradition of consigning dead bodies into water as last rites in Bihar. 

Buxar District Magistrate Aman Samir on Tuesday said that, “A narrative is being made that due to lack of wood logs for cremation or the poor facing financial issues, dead bodies are being immersed in Ganga in Buxar. This is not true.” He added, “We have recovered bodies that were seen floating in Ganga river. They appear to be 4-5 days old. But we will respectfully cremate these bodies.”

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Following the Buxar incident, Union minister of water resources Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tweeted, in which he mentioned CM Yogi Adityanath and Nitish Kumar, asking them to take immediate cognisance.

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With rising cases and deaths due to COVID-19, the dead bodies are suspected to be of COVID patients. But, the blame-game between UP and Bihar refuses to stop, with the Congress, giving evidence of COVID deaths, alleging that Uttar Pradesh authorities were hiding deaths.