Dozens of bodies float in Yamuna in UP, locals in Hamirpur panic fearing Covid

​​​​​​LUCKNOW: Locals in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district spotted dozens of bodies floating on the river Yamuna on Sunday, leading to panic among the residents even as speculation grew about the bodies being of those villagers who succumbed to coronavirus.

Some are even saying that the sheer number of Covid-19 casualties in villages in Hamirpur is such that bodies of the victims are being floated on the river as cremation grounds are overwhelmed with the numbers.

On the other hand, unconfirmed reports suggest that upon discovering dozens of bodies, the local administration decided to dispose them of in the river.

In one particular village, locals have been cremating bodies in fields along the banks of river Yamuna. Neither district officials, nor the state government has any records of the number of deaths that have gone unreported in these parts of Uttar Pradesh.

When asked, locals said many deaths are being reported from rural areas, spanning across Hamirpur and Kanpur districts. Villagers are disposing of the bodies of Covid-19 victims in the Yamuna waters.

‘Flood of bodies’

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Hamirpur, Anoop Kumar Singh said, "The Yamuna river flows as a border between Hamirpur and Kanpur. Locals consider the river sacred and there is an old ritual of the bodies of deceased villagers being floated in the river."

"One or two dead bodies can be occasionally seen floating in Yamuna. However, in the times of Covid, there has been a flood of bodies in the river, which is indicative of how people are dying in large numbers," added ASP Anoop Kumar Singh.

He further said, "Fear of Covid-19 has led villagers to float the bodies on the river instead of cremating them. This is why dozens of bodies are being spotted in the river.”

An eyewitness, Siyaram, said, "People are cremating bodies on the fields. No government or local official has any record of how many people have been cremated or their bodies disposed of after dying due to Covid-19 in these areas."