Villagers in Gadag block last rites of COVID-19 victim

Gadag: Residents of Basalapur village of the district allegedly prevented a family from bringing the body of a loved one, who had died due to Covid, to the village for the last rites.

The deceased, a man, had died on Monday night at a private hospital in Badami where he was undergoing treatment.

Following his death, the family members brought the body in an ambulance, but the locals stopped them from entering the village fearing that they would catch the infection.

When family members pleaded with the mob to allow them to perform the last rites as per rituals, villagers demanded that they produce a Covid negative certificate and insisted that the funeral be performed as per Covid guidelines.

The locals also alleged that Badami hospital had handed over the body violating Covid guidelines.