Six Bodies of COVID-19 Victims Retrieved from Ganga River in India

On the evening of May 31, six bodies were retrieved from the Ganga River in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This was reported by a local official to India TV, as conveyed by Armenpress.

"Six decomposed bodies have been pulled from the river. A team of doctors has carried out the final procedures in accordance with the principles of handling the bodies of individuals who died from COVID-19," said Pramod Jan, a local official, during a TV broadcast. He noted that the bodies could not be identified due to their advanced state of decomposition.

Earlier in May, authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had reported discovering more than 100 human bodies in the Ganga River. It is believed that these may be remains of those who died from the coronavirus. The state's police have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Residents speculate that the reason these bodies were disposed of in the Ganga is due to the high costs associated with conducting cremations or organizing burials, especially in light of the record surge in COVID-19 cases across India. Indian authorities have demanded an immediate halt to the practice of throwing deceased bodies into the Ganga River.

India remains second in the world for the number of confirmed coronavirus cases. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has surpassed 28.1 million, with over 25.9 million recoveries and more than 331,000 deaths; currently, there are 1.8 million active cases, reported RIA Novosti.