The Ganges River located in northern India had been discovered swamped with 102 bodies, of which the majority were children, floating in its surface on Wednesday. Although foul play has not yet been officially crossed out as one of the possible reasons for the demise of those found in the body of water, investigators strongly suspect that the incident is a case of water burials performed by people who could not afford to have their dead cremated, or those who adhered to the custom of not cremating unwed girls, revealed a report from NDTV.
The legion of dead bodies were found close to the village of Pariyar, which is located in the most highly populated state of Uttar Pradesh. In fact, one of the indicators that prompted officials to investigate the source of the stench was the presence of stray dogs, vultures, and crows near the 2,500 km long river. Upon arriving at the scene, the officials described that the animals had been feasting on the bodies floating in Indian river, specifically between the districts of Kanpur and Unnao.
Needless to say, the remains were extremely decomposed, which hindered verification of their identities through autopsies. However, District Magistrate Saumya Agarwal disclosed that DNA testing will be conducted to help in the determination of the origins of the bodies.
"We are trying to do DNA sampling to ascertain identities," shared Aggarwal, adding that arrangements are currently organized with respect to the cremation of the bodies.
Meanwhile, Subdivisional Magistrate Saryua Shukla remarked that the government will take action after the conclusion of the investigation in an effort to ensure the safety and health of the citizens.
"Once we will complete all the legal formalities, these bodies will be buried to avoid spread of diseases," Shukla disclosed.
Suraj Prasad, an official from the Unnao district, assured the public that "action will be taken after the probe [on] how the bodies came into it [the river]." With regard the reason behind the bodies appearing in the surface of the water, he said, "It could be that some bodies were submerged after the death. They came on the bank due to low water level."
The minimum cost of a cremation is approximately $40, which is far beyond the monthly wage of a poor person in India. Hence, poverty has long been considered as one of the most prevalent reasons for some families to opt for a water burial for their dead loved ones.
While this may be the most widespread solution to deaths in low-income families in the region, the belief on the river's sacred nature is not lost in devoted families. According to Hindu tradition, giving a water burial to an unwed girl will guarantee her rebirth into the same family.
In addition, practicing Hindus believe that the Ganges River possesses the power to rinse them of their sins and liberate them from the rebirth cycle.
