Cong demands FIR against officials for death of 2 kin of COVID deceased during last rites

Two family members accompanying the body of a COVID-19 victim for his last rites fell unconscious and died in Jammu, following which the district administration ordered a magisterial probe into it, officials said on Thursday. The kin of the deceased duo alleged that they died due to dehydration.

The Congress staged a protest here on Friday over the death of two kin of a COVID-19 victim during his last rites, and demanded that officials concerned be booked. The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) alleged that the two deaths were due to "utter negligence" of officials and police, and demanded registration of an FIR against them and a judicial probe into the matter. Led by JKPCC Vice President and former minister Raman Bhalla and former minister Yogesh Sahaney, Congress activists assembled in the city and staged the demonstration.

"We demand a probe into the utter negligence by officials and police force which resulted in the death of the two cousins of the COVID-19 deceased. We want registration of an FIR against the officials," Bhalla told reporters here. He said that the negligence on the part of the administration amounted to murder.

The Congress also sought compensation for the family of the deceased. Two family members accompanying the body of a COVID-19 victim for his last rites fell unconscious and died in Jammu, following which the district administration ordered a magisterial probe into it, officials said on Thursday.

The kin of the deceased duo alleged that they died due to dehydration. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chander Murmu has taken a serious note of the "negligence on the part of the administration and strict action will be taken against those responsible".

District Magistrate of Jammu Sushma Chauhan said, "During the cremation of a body on account of COVID-19 related death, two persons accompanying the body for the last rites became unconscious and subsequently passed away in mysterious circumstances. A magisterial probe into it has been ordered." An additional district magistrate shall conduct a probe to ascertain the circumstances leading to the death of the two persons, she said, adding a special board of directors has been constituted to conduct autopsy and the ADM shall submit the report by June 22. According to the family of the deceased, their family member died of COVID-19 on Wednesday night and they were told to conduct the last rites in the morning but it got delayed.

"Four of us were dressed up in PPE kits and taken to Sidhra for the cremation. As we travelled through the sandy banks of a river, the wheels of the ambulance got stuck and we had to carry the body for some distance. We all were dehydrated," a cousin of the deceased told reporters. "Three of our family members parched because of the high temperature asked for water. But the officials did not give water and instead scolded us. As the three fell unconscious, I carried one to GMC hospital and he was revived," he said.

According to sources, the other two persons died on the spot. One of the body was carried to GMC hospital in an ambulance and another was ferried in the evening by the police, they said..