Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh):Hundreds of graves believed to contain human remains were seen on the banks of the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh state as India battles Covid-19.
The graves at Devrakh Ghat in Naini area of Prayagraj district has caused panic among the people living in nearby areas.
Reports said devotees have stopped taking holy baths in the area due to a bad smell.
The bodies on the river banks and the funeral pyres burning round-the-clock tell the story of a death toll never seen before in India.
As crematoriums and burial grounds ran out of space and the cost of cremations increased, the dead were taken to the river banks for burial, reports said. Similar scenes were also seen at the city's Shringverpur ghat.
"We have never seen such a sight near the river Ganga before. Only a few bodies were brought to this ghat for the last rites. Traditional beliefs, poverty and the pandemic killing people at lightning speed is the reason," a local said.
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As the wind blows away the sand and leaves the bodies exposed, predatory birds and dogs come to nibble at them.