‘We are aghast’: HC raps Bihar over differing death figures

The Patna high court on Monday expressed displeasure over inconsistencies in death figures for Buxar provided in affidavits filed by the Patna division commissioner and the chief secretary, and directed that data since March 1 be furnished for all districts of the state.

Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on Covid management in the state, the bench of chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice Sanjay Kumar earlier termed as “disturbing” the issue of corpses found floating in the Ganga river and sought a detailed reply from the advocate general, who submitted the commissioner’s affidavit on Monday.

“We are aghast at the manner in which the affidavits are being filed. The bench deserves better treatment from the government. We don’t appreciate this. All affidavits must be vetted by a lawyer. The department directly cannot file affidavits in these types of matters. They have to be vetted by your office. At this point in time, we do not comment anything further on these affidavits, but all facts first must be verified from all sources and then only placed before us, else it will amount to filing of false/incomplete affidavit,” the bench observed.

The bench was upset that while the chief secretary’s affidavit said only six deaths since March 1 had taken place in Buxar, there were 789 cremations mentioned in the commissioner’s affidavit at just one cremation ghat, Muktidham Charitarban, Buxar, under the Nagar Parishad within a span of 10 days, from May 5-14.

“The CS does not say that six deaths are only due to Covid. The commissioner also does not say that 789 deaths are non-Covid deaths. The total population of Buxar is 17 lakh, but the figures are only for the Nagar Parishad. There is no mention of the religion or age groups of the dead. Hindus may be a majority in Buxar, but that does not mean that there is none from other religions. Last rites may also have been performed at burial grounds,” it added.