Much to the horror of people living in the Hiranandapur gram panchayat under the Bhutni police station in Malda, locals spotted two floating bodies in the Kesharpur ghat in the Ganga river in the district today.
Amid reports that floating bodies, presumably those of Covid-19 victims, had been found in the Ganga river in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar recently, people in Malda today went on a panic mode. Police said they have recovered both the bodies and sent them for post-mortem at the Malda Medical College and Hospital.
Police sources said the bodies will most likely be cremated tomorrow by following all the Covid norms.
While people in Manikchak, the point where the Ganga enters the district, are already on alert and have almost stopped using the water or eating fish caught in the river, locals living in and around Kesharpur ghat today stopped bathing in the river, local sources said.
It may be noted here that video clips of bodies of “Covidvictims” found floating in the river in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had gone viral in social media recently, and the West Bengal state government had on 12 May issued a directive to the Malda district administration, asking it to remain alert for such bodies that may flow down from UP and Bihar.
“Specific instructions regarding the matter had also been given to Malda district to spot such floating bodies,” an official said today. News of the two bodies today getting stuck in the water hyacinths near Kesharpur spread like wildfire among the locals this morning.
Bholanath Mandal, a local man, said, “We always feared that such bodies from Bihar may come down here, and our fears have now come true. We are not going to the river now.”
Malda Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria, on the other hand, said, “Primarily it is suspected that the bodies may have floated down to Malda from Bihar. The bodies will be cremated as per Covid protocols.” Police sources said they have started investigations and are trying to ascertain the identities of the two persons.