COPS PATROLLING GANGA TO CHECK DUMPING OF BODIES

LUCKNOW : Cops, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel on Monday began an intensive patrolling in UP districts located along the Ganga banks to ensure that there was no dumping of bodies into the river. A number of unidentified corpses were found floating in the river in Ghazipur and Ballia districts last week.

Through public address system, cops also made announcements advising villagers against dumping the bodies into the Ganga. During patrolling, cops fished out seven bodies from the Ganga in Varanasi, 15 in Ghazipur and eight each in Chandauli and Ballia districts. They later cremated the bodies.

The cops also held meetings with locals in villages located along the Ganga apprising them of the state government’s decision to provide Rs 5,000 financial assistance each to poor people who are unable to carry out cremation of their near and dear ones.

At Buxar ghat, Unnao, which was in news recently when several bodies were found buried at the riverbank, cops have set up a police outpost to make sure there is no dumping of bodies into the river.

Prashant Kumar, additional director general of police, law and order, said 34 police teams had been pressed into service in Ghazipur district along the Ganga banks for round-the-clock patrolling in shifts to prevent disposal of bodies into the river.

“Patrolling has also been intensified in those areas of Ballia and Ghazipur districts, including Zamania and Gahmar, which share their border with Bihar. The cops have also made arrangements of firewood for cremation of bodies at all ghats in Ghazipur district,” added Kumar.

In Varanasi district, three teams of Jal Police are patrolling the Ganga in shifts and keeping a watch on ghats to prevent disposal of bodies into river. In Kanpur, Chandauli and Fatehpur districts also, intensive patrolling is being carried out to prevent dumping of bodies into the river.