DTNext investigation: Body parts in shoddy mass burials dug out by animals

Over 100 families living in Kadambathur panchayat, Tiruvallur district, wake up to the sight of decomposed human body parts almost every day. Shoddy mass burials by government hospital staff and an ongoing land dispute prevent local authorities from building a compound wall around the burial ground.

Situated 15 km from Tiruvallur town on the banks of the Cooum is Basheer Nagar. Most people here are farm hands and daily wage earners. Madan, a local resident, confirms that mutilated body parts are left in the open. “It’s shocking and repulsive,” he said. “The local burial ground is situated on the banks of the Cooum where government hospitals bury unclaimed bodies from hospitals situated between Minjur and Ponneri. Since this is a govt initiative, the pits to bury the dead are neither deep enough nor are they closed properly,” he added. As a result, wild pigs that frequent a dump yard nearby are attracted by the foul smell. “The pigs dig out the bodies and feed on them dragging parts to the residential areas. This poses a serious health hazard,” said Venkat, another resident.

Block Development Officer A Santhanam confirmed that unidentified bodies from government hospitals were taken to the Basheer Nagar burial ground. “Those in charge of burials are not doing it properly. We have warned them several times, but in vain,” Santhanam said.

Local MLA VG Rajendran claimed he is willing to solve the problem. “I can use my MLA funds and build a wall but I am facing resistance from a local church which owns the land adjacent to the burial ground. If we build a wall, the church will have to let go of its land to provide access to the burial ground for public but they are unwilling to do so,” he said.