Locals' agitation delays cremation of Bengal's first Covid-19 victim's body in Kolkata
Kolkata/IBNS: Disposal of the body of West Bengal's first Covid-19 victim was delayed by hours due to multiple issues, including unavailability of hearse, absence of relatives for consent and protests staged by locals at the crematorium area, officials said on Monday midnight.
According to reports, the 57-year-old man from Kolkata's Dum Dum area, who had tested positive for Covid-19 days ago, died of cardiac failure at Salt Lake AMRI Hospital at 3:35 pm. on Monday.
Following his death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked her administration to dispose the body as soon as possible to avoid further spread of the virus from the infected body.
After the hospital had issued a clearance to take the body for cremation, police could not find any relative of the Covid-19 victim for consent as his family members are currently in a quarantine centre in south Kolkata.
Meanwhile, several hearses had reportedly refused to carry the Covid-19 victim's body to the crematorium which led to a delay by nearly an hour.
At around 9 pm, Bidhannagar City Police managed a hearse and took the body to Nimtala crematorium in north Kolkata.
When the hearse reached Nimtala Burning Ghat, it was prevented by locals from entering the crematorium as they started an agitation.
Besides squatting, the local mob had blocked the road to Nimtala crematorium and allegedly vandalized multiple vehicles, including few media cars.
Later, a heavy police force rushed to the spot and after bringing the situation under control, police were able to place the body in an electric pyre at the crematorium at around 12 am, nearly eight and half hours after the Covid-19 infected man was declared dead at hospital.
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