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Ballari, June 30: A video clip of dead bodies of covid-19 victims being disgracefully thrown into a pit said to be in Karnataka’s Ballari has gone viral on social media triggering outrage from netizens.

Ballari Deputy Commissioner SS Nakul ordered a probe. He told media persons that the veracity of the video is still under question and that it still needs to be established if the video was taken in Ballari.

In the video, a pit is seen which appears to be disinfected. The video features masked men covered in body suits bringing dead bodies from a black hearse van in black body bags one by one and throwing the dead bodies into the same pit. In all, three dead bodies are thrown into the same pit in the video.

"We have assigned an Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) to enquire and verify the same. We are awaiting reports. We don't know yet if it (the video) is from Ballari or not," Nakul said.

The district which has so far reported around 800 cases in the last three months has also witnessed around two dozen deaths.

Twitterati on Tuesday raised questions about the handling of the bodies. "Even dead have some respect and they deserved a decent burial," said a social activist from Ballari. Similar reactions echoed on social media and some also pointed out on how the family members who have to stay away from burials feel about it.

Covid burial protocol

According to the protocol set by the Union Health Ministry for the burial of Covid-19 patients, the patients' orifices (nose, mouth and ears) have to be sealed and the body has to be wrapped in three layers of personal protective equipment (PPE). Thereafter it should be placed in a body bag. Family members should not be allowed to accompany the body in the hearse van. Covid-19 victims have to be given a deep burial. The grave should be minimum 10-feet deep.

The grave should be disinfected with bleaching powder and the area should be cordoned off so that the general public is not in the vicinity.  The vehicle used to transport the dead body of a Covid-19 victim -- ambulance or a hearse van -- has to be disinfected for 16 hours before being used again. Most Covid-19 victims in the state have had burials in the absence of family members as they are generally in quarantine for being the primary contacts of the patient.

Karnataka | Covid victims’ bodies thrown into pit; probe ordered after video goes viral pic.twitter.com/gOykDU7UKn

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Mangaluru, Jan 11: A large number of people from the Women India Movement on Saturday staged a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) here and raised slogans denouncing the newly enacted law.

Protestors were seen carrying placards that read, 'Stop diving India, Boycott CAA, NRC, NPR', 'We are humans, not criminals', 'Save India from fascism'.

"Today's youths are tomorrow's future. The present leaders are scared by the youths and are trying to wipe us out. They are scared of the students because they are raising their voices," a protestor told media.

"It started with the triple talaq, then the removal of Article 370 and Babri Masjid verdict. We Muslims kept quiet but now it is a question to our Constitution. We are not here as Muslims but as an Indian Citizen protesting against the cruelty of the BJP government," she added.

The protestor said the Central government is trying to make India a Hindu Rashtra by wiping out all other communities.

"This fascist government is trying to poison the minds of Hindus against the Muslims. After Muslims, there will be the Christian community and then other communities. The main motive of the government is to only keep Brahmins in India," added the protestor.

The newly-enacted law grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

Bengaluru, Mar 21: All bars and pubs in Karnataka will remain closed from Saturday till March 31 as a preventive measure to tackle coronavirus spread, said state Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

As per the government advisory, restaurants including cafes cannot serve food in-house and only takeaways will be allowed.

"All bars/pubs to remain closed from tomorrow till March 31 in Karnataka. In all city municipal corporations across the state, restaurants including cafes cannot serve food in-house, only takeaways will be allowed," said Yeddyurappa in a statement.

15 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state till now, said Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Friday.

The Minister told news agency that two COVID-19 patients, who are recovering, will soon be discharged from the hospital.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in India has now climbed up to 223, including 32 foreigners, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. As many as 23 people have been cured of the infection in India.

The disease has claimed over 10,000 lives globally.