Brutal videos have surfaced of stray dogs eating human bodies at Kedar Ghat in Uttarkashi, Uttrakhand, on the banks of the Bhagirathi River.
Following a rise in the water level of the Bhagirathi due to rainfall over the past few days, local residents said parts of bodies, some of them half-burned, had drifted onto the bank.
“I was doing some painting yesterday and I saw these half-burnt bodies and stray dogs gnawing and feeding on them. The District administration and Municipal Corporation should take cognizance of this and do something immediately. It is a matter of concern and I feel that it is the death of humanity,” said a local.
Another local speculated that the bodies could be those of COVID-19 infected people who were cremated and that civic authorities should act quickly to prevent the spread of infection.
“I request that the administration take proper care of this,” he said, adding that despite complaints to the municipality and the district administration, no arrangements were made to dispose of the bodies after last rites were performed.
Meanwhile, Municipality president Ramesh Semwal said that after receiving complaints from locals, they had assigned a person at Kedar Ghat to cremate the half-burnt bodies, washed up on the riverbank.
“During the last few days, the number of deaths has been increased in our area. I also came to know that bodies are not burnt properly so I have directed the administration to arrange at Kedar Ghat for the cremation of half-burnt bodies,” said Ramesh Semwal.
There have previously been incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar where a large number of bodies were discovered floating in the Ganga.
The relatives of those who died as a result of the COVID-19 virus may not have been able to find space or afford the last rites, according to authorities.
Last month, the Centre issued an order to these states’ authorities prohibiting the disposal of bodies in the river.
Meanwhile, Uttrakhand on Monday reported 1,156 fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the overall tally to 3,29,494. The state’s Covid-19 toll reached 6,452.
