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.
Read: Panic after bodies found buried in sand in UP's Unnao
As the wind blows away the sand and leaves the bodies exposed, predatory birds and dogs come to nibble at them.
While it remains unconfirmed if the bodies in Prayagaraj are of COVID-19 patients, nearby residents said the graves started appearing after the second outbreak of Covid-19.
The administration in Prayagraj has started keeping a vigil on the river banks after the video of the bodies appeared on the internet.
Read: Centre asks UP, Bihar to prevent dumping of dead bodies in Ganga
The local government bodies have banned burials on the ghats and arrangements have been made for wood for cremations.
The union health ministry has said there are currently 1,93,815 active COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh. A total of 13,85,855 patients have recovered so far and 16,957 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to the district administration, 165 fresh cases, 521 recoveries, and nine deaths were reported in Prayagraj on Saturday.
