Telangana doctor drives tractor to transport COVID-19 victim's body for last rites

A Telangana doctor came forward to help a COVID-19 deceased's kin in Peddapalli in transporting the dead body of the victim for the last rites.

Doctor Sriram came forward after a driver, working with the Municipality, refused to take the body to the burial ground on Sunday.

Peddapalli District Surveillance Officer Dr Sriram had to drive a tractor carrying the dead body of the person from Tenuguwada area in Peddapalli to the burial ground after a municipal staff refused to drive the vehicle out of fear.

"Yesterday, a COVID-19 patient died at the Peddapalli isolation ward. So it was the first deaths in our district. Some of our employees were unaware of the protocols. Though they are trained, none dared to attend the body," said Dr Sriram.

"The local authorise helped me by providing the tractor to carry the dead body. But the driver of the tractor out of fear did not participate in the process. Hence, I drove the tractor to the crematorium and helped the disease's relative to complete the last rites," he added.

According to the Union Health Ministry, there are 34,671 COVID-19 cases in the state with 356 fatalities.

( With inputs from ANI )