Panic in Uttar Pradesh: 100 bodies found floating, some buried in sand along Ganga river in Unnao

The second wave of COVID 19 has proven to be harmful and fatal. Metro cities of India like Delhi and Mumbai are bearing the brunt of it due to the heavy density of the population.

Most shocking things are happening in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. As multiple bodies were found buried in sand in at least two locations along the Ganga river in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district on Wednesday, NDTV reported. The incident came days after bodies of suspected Covid-19 patients were spotted floating in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and other parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Authorities have not been able to confirm yet whether the bodies were of Covid-19 patients. District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said that some of the bodies were found in an area far away from the river, ANI reported.

"Search being conducted for more bodies in other areas," Kumar said. "I have asked team to carry out inquiry. Action will be taken accordingly."

Nearly 100 bodies found floating in Ganga, spark panic

At least 96 unidentified bodies – many of them decomposed and bloated – have been found floating in the Ganga over the past couple of days, triggering fears among local residents in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh that bodies of Covid victims were being dumped in the river. While 71 of the bodies have been fished out in Bihar's Buxar district, at least 25 bodies were found in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district.

While authorities in both districts are yet to confirm if the bodies were of Covid victims, saying samples have been sent for tests, police in Buxar said they suspected the bodies may have floated in from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.

The central government has taken serious note of the issue, with Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday seeking an investigation by both states. "Floating bodies in Ganga in Buxar, Bihar is unfortunate. It is surely a matter of investigation. [Narendra] Modi government is committed to maintaining piety and continuity of mother Ganga. States [Bihar and UP] concerned must take cognizance of the matter immediately," he tweeted.

In Ghazipur, authorities said at least 25 unidentified bodies were found floating in the Ganga over the past two days. Varanasi (range) IG Suvendra K Bhagat said on Tuesday he can't give the exact number" but at least 25 bodies have been recovered. "We have gotten a review done. It has come to our knowledge that two types of bodies were found floating in the river," he said. Some communities follow Jal Samadhi or "Jal Pravah", which means disposing the bodies in the river, he said. The other type was half-burnt bodies being dumped in the river by people carrying out cremations.

The IG said all measures have been taken to stop these practices along the Ganga. "We have increased patrolling in villages along the river to ensure that bodies are not dumped in the river," he said.

On the possibility of whether the bodies could have floated in from other districts, Bhagat said, "It is difficult to ascertain where the bodies came from. But they could have come from upstream. These bodies are badly decomposed."

In Uttar Pradesh, the Ganga flows through Kanpur, Hamirpur, Prayagraj, Chandauli, Varanasi, Ghazipur and then enters Bihar's Buxar district.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath took cognisance of the matter and instructed that the last rites of the bodies should be done according to the person's religious beliefs.

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