2 held after video of patient's body being dumped in river in UP goes viral

Two people have been arrested after a video went viral on social media showing a COVID-19 patient's body being dumped from a bridge into the Rapti river in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district.

In a video statement on Twitter, the Balrampur Police informed that the patient, identified as Prem Nath Mishra, had been admitted to a hospital on May 25 and tested positive for the coronavirus.

He died on May 29 and the body was handed to his nephew while following COVID-19 protocol.

"On May 29, a video went viral on social media that showed PPE-clad persons dropping a corpse into the Rapti river. As per the Chief Medical Officer, Balrampur, the body has been identified as Prem Nath Mishra, who was admitted to a hospital on May 25," the Additional Superintendent of Police said on Sunday.

"After he tested positive for COVID-19, he was shifted to another ward on May 26. He died on May 28. The body was handed over to his nephew on May 29 as per COVID-19 guidelines. A case has been registered and two people have been arrested," he added.

Confirming the same, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Balrampur said yesterday, "The COVID patient's whose body was thrown into the river, was handed over to family under protocol. A case has been registered and a probe on."

Several reports have surfaced over the last few weeks of decomposed bodies floating in rivers.

In Ghazipur, several bodies washed up on the shores of river Ganga. Similar scenes were also witnessed in Bihar's Buxar. Bodies have also been found buried in the sand in Unnao.

Locals describe the bodies as bloated and decomposed and many fear that the corpses are those of COVID-19 patients.

As per the union health minister, there are currently 41,214 active COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh. As many as 16,28,456 recoveries and 20,346 deaths have been reported in the state so far.