Balrampur, May 30: In a shocking incident, a body of a COVID-19 patient was thrown in a river in Uttar Pradesh on May 28. The video of the incident also surfaced on social media. In the video, two men, one of them in a PPE kit, are seen throwing a body from a bridge into the Rapti river in the Balrampur district. The entire incident was caught on camera.

The victim has been identified as Premnath. He was reportedly admitted to a hospital on May 25 and was undergoing treatment for COVID-19. Premnath died on May 28.  According to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Balrampur, the body was handed over to the relatives of the victim, and they dumped it in the river. The video was shot by a passerby. Dead Bodies in Ganga River: 7 More Bodies Seen Floating in UP's Ballia District; Total Count at 52.

Video of The Incident (Disturbing Visuals in The Clip; Viewer Discretion is Advised): 

A case has been registered against the relatives of Premnath, and police have launched an investigation. “As per Covid protocol, the body was handed over to his relatives. Preliminary investigations reveal that the relatives threw the body into the river. We have filed a case, and strict action will be taken,” reported NDTV quoting Balrampur Chief Medical Officer VB Singh as saying. The body was reportedly handed back to the relatives.

Tweet by Balrampur Police: 

The incident surfaced weeks after hundreds of were seen floating in the Ganga river in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This incident sparked nationwide outrage. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had also issued notices to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, after receiving complaints about several dead bodies found floating in the Ganga river in the two states. The Centre has directed states to ensure that dead bodies are not disposed of in rivers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 30, 2021 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).