The Nadakkavu police have booked two workers attached to the Mavoor Road crematorium on the charge of refusing to cremate the body of a Nipah virus victim on Tuesday. The workers, Shaji and Babu, had claimed that the smoke emanating from the pyre would spread the virus. They were booked on a petition filed by the city corporation.
The two workers were booked under Section 297 of the IPC on charges of showing indignity to a human corpse and causing disturbance to those who had assembled at the crematorium for the last rites. The duo was also charged under Section 353 of the IPC for assault to deter public servants (corporation officials) from discharging his duty.
The workers’ refusal to cremate the body, owing to their misconception, had triggered tension in the area. The accused objected when the relatives of Asokan, who had died of Nipah virus infection, approached them with a request to cremate the body. They had also requested the staff to cremate the body at the traditional crematorium as the electric crematorium had developed mechanical failure.
Owing to opposition from the workers, the cremation was delayed for more than seven hours. Finally, a mobile crematorium was brought from Palakkad. It was alleged that the staff refused to budge even on the intervention of the corporation authorities.
