Shocking! Bodies of 22 COVID-19 fatalities stuffed into a one ambulance in Maharashtra

Aurangabad: In a shocking incident, a total of 22 dead bodies of COVID-19 patients were placed on top of each other in an ambulance and carried to the crematorium.
The ambulance belonged to Swami Ramathirtha Hospital of Ambajogai. 

The bodies were wrapped in body packs and placed on each other and taken to the crematorium on Sunday.

Beed District Collector Ravindra Jagtap has ordered an inquiry into the case. Additional Collector of Ambejogai will investigate this matter and submit his report. 

The district administration has cited the lack of ambulance as one of the reasons. Dr Shivaji Shukre, the dean of the Medical College, said on Tuesday, "The hospital management does not have enough ambulances, due to which it happened."

Officials said they had five ambulances in the first phase of COVID-19 last year. Three of them were later withdrawn and now two ambulances in the hospital are being used to transport to COVID-19 patients.

"Sometimes, it takes time to find relatives of the deceased. Bodies are also being sent to our hospital from the COVID-19 centre in Lokhandi Savargaon as they do not have cold storage. On March 17, a letter was written to the district administration to provide three more ambulances from the department," the official added.

Meanwhile, BJP Municipal Councilor Suresh Dhaas alleged that the hospital and the local municipal bodies are busy accusing each other. Ambajogai Municipal Council Chief Officer Ashok Sable said that it is the responsibility of the medical college to take the dead bodies to the crematorium on Mandwa Road.

At the same time, City Council President Rajkishore also expressed concern about the incident and said that eight bodies were taken to the crematorium in another ambulance on the same day. Meanwhile, claims are being made to improve the system in the city.