82-year-old's death leads to tension in Durgapur

The death of an 82-year- old man, whose COVID test report allegedly did not come even six days after his swab sample was taken, led to a tension in Faridpur area of Durgapur and the body not being allowed to be taken for cremation for 10 hours by locals.

The death of an 82-year- old man, whose COVID test report allegedly did not come even six days after his swab sample was taken, led to a tension in Faridpur area of Durgapur and the body not being allowed to be taken for cremation for 10 hours by locals. Deputy Magistrate of Durgapur Udaynarayan Jana said they were working according to the government protocols in taking the body for cremation.

"The body will be cremated by the authorities and one or two family members can be present during cremation abiding by the health safety protocol," he said. Locals claimed that the deceased man's eldest son and daughter-in-law, residents of ward number three in the Durgapur Municipality area, tested positive for COVID-19 a week back and were undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Swab samples of the remaining eight members of the family, including the octogenarian, were taken following this, but the test reports did not come even six days later, they alleged. After the man died at his home on Friday morning, locals got agitated, demanding that the test report be brought before the body is allowed to be taken for cremation by government authorities.

The stand-off continued till afternoon since 6.30 am before the government officials and police got the locals to allow them to take the body for cremation..