2 held in UP for dumping COVID-19 patient’s body in river after video goes viral

A viral video showing a COVID-19 patient’s body being dumped from a bridge into the Rapti river in Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur district, led to arrest of two people, the police said.

Balrampur: A viral video showing a COVID-19 patient’s body being dumped from a bridge into the Rapti river in Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur district, led to arrest of two people, the police said. Balrampur Police in a video statement on Twitter informed that the patient has been identified as Prem Nath Mishra, who admitted to a hospital in the district on May 25 and tested positive for the coronavirus. He died on May 29 and the body was handed to his nephew while following COVID-19 protocol.  "On May 29, a video went viral on social media that showed PPE-clad persons dropping a corpse into the Rapti river. As per the Chief Medical Officer, Balrampur, the body has been identified as Prem Nath Mishra, who was admitted to a hospital on May 25," the Additional Superintendent of Police said on Sunday.