Hundreds Defy COVID Guidelines, Take Out Procession With Dead Body In Rourkela

Rourkela: In a blatant defiance of lockdown, COVID-19 guidelines and police administration, hundreds of people reportedly took out a procession carrying a dead body at Nala Road in Rourkela.

The incident that took place on June 7 night came to light after a video of the procession went viral on social media. The rally was taken out after a young boy belonging to minority community was killed in an attack by a gang reportedly due to old rivalry, according to a local channel.

Even as the people of minority community carrying the body of the youth marched on the roads in the area at night, police allegedly stood as silent spectators to the mockery of all government regulations and restrictions.

The norms of social distancing and use of masks were thrown to the wind as the crowd in an apparent belligerent mood shouted slogans, it added.

While there was no visible step by the local administration or police personnel present at the spot to prevent the procession to proceed or disperse the crowd, the local people were in a panic considering the spectre of coronavirus spread.

This is for the second time that the area has witnessed the gross violation of the COVID-19 restrictions. A few days back, people of Nala Road, which was declared containment zone after one person tested corona positive, had pelted stones at health officials who had gone to trace the contacts of the positive case.