Hundreds of Bodies Found Buried Along Indian Riverbanks

Hundreds of Bodies Found Buried Along Indian Riverbanks
Family members and relatives of a person who died pray next to his shallow sand grave on the banks of river Ganges in Prayagraj, India, on May 16, 2021. Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo
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PRAYAGRAJ, India—Police are reaching out to villagers in northern India to investigate the recovery of bodies buried in shallow sand graves or washed up on the Ganges River banks, prompting speculation on social media that they’re the remains of COVID-19 victims.

In jeeps and boats, police used portable loudspeakers with microphones asking people not to dispose of bodies in rivers. “We are here to help you perform the last rites,” police said.