22 Covid bodies stacked in van triggers outrage in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: The bodies of 22 Covid victims were stacked in an ambulance while being transported to the crematorium in Maharashtra's Beed district. The incident has triggered an outrage among the public forcing the Beed district administration to rush to the spot and look into the matter.

The police allegedly snatched away the phones of kin of two victims who were clicking photos of the bodies being stacked in a van, an eyewitness said. Their phones were returned only after the last rites were performed.

Officials said the 22 bodies, in body bags, were picked from Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada Government Medical College in Ambajogai.

Beed district collector Ravindra Jagtap said, “I have ordered the Ambajogai additional collector to probe the matter. We will initiate action against anyone found guilty.”

“There are just two ambulances to carry dead bodies to the crematorium. We have demanded more ambulances. Our responsibility is to hand over bodies to the Ambajogai civic body to perform the last rites. What the civic body does is not in our control,” SRTMGMC dean Dr Shivaji Sukre said.