Abandoned truck with 17 corpses found in Bengal

On Sunday night, the 17 bodies were sent for cremation at Panihati crematorium

An abandoned vehicle loaded with more than a dozen human bodies triggered tension in Barasat of North 24 Parganas. On Monday morning, the residents of Kanapukur in ward no. 6 found the stationary mini- truck at a ground. With a foul smell emanating from the vehicle they went to its rear side and saw 17 bodies wrapped in black plastic covers lying on each other. The police was informed soon.

Local councillor Champak Das rushed to the spot. He alleged of lackadaisical attitude of the administration and complained to the inspector- in- charge Jai Prakash Pandey of the Barasat police station. Preliminary investigation revealed that the bodies were lying unidentified at the morgue of Barasat State General Hospital for a long time.

Additional superintendent of police ( Barasat) Bhaskar Mukherjee said, “As per the district magis- trate’s order, the unclaimed bodies are sent for cremation from the morgue time to time when the morgue’s capacity gets full. On Sunday night, the 17 bodies were sent for cremation at Panihati crematorium in Barrackpore.”

But the crematorium officials grew suspicious over the number of bodies with no document. They refused its cremation. While returning, the vehicle’s driver parked it at the ground on the way and disappeared.

Mr Mukherjee however claimed, “There was some problem at the crematorium for which the bodies were returned. While bringing back the bodies the driver did not leave the vehicle but stopped on the way for few hours only.” The bodies were later sent back to hospital’s morgue.