Controversy-hit Assam COVID19 victim to be cremated in Delhi today

New Delhi: Bonti Saikia, wife of Ajit Saikia, a COVID-19 patient from Assam who died under controversial circumstances at Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan Hospital in New Delhi on May 7, has authorised Assam Bhawan officials in the national capital to perform the last rites of her husband.

According to plan, the last rites of the deceased will be performed in Delhi on Tuesday.

Sources in Assam Bhawan informed EastMojo that a team of officers of the state government posted there is in constant touch with the bereaved family members and communicating with the Delhi government to do the needful.

Also Read: Delhi govt kept mum over Assam man’s death for 10 days?

Bonti Saikia, who was getting treatment at Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan Hospital here along with his husband, gave the consent to Assam Bhawan officials on Monday.

In a surprising turn of events, Ajit Saikia (64), a retired Assam agriculture department, died in New Delhi due to COVID-19 on May 7 and his family members alleged negligence of duty by Delhi government and expressed serious concern over the fact that family members were allegedly informed about the incident almost 10 days after his death.

Family members alleged that they were informed about the death on May 17 while Ajit Saikia, who hails from Bokakhat, died on May 7. For almost 10 days, the body was in the morgue of the hospital.

“How can they sit around a dead body for 10 days and not do anything? Why they were telling lies to the family members?” the younger sister of the deceased alleged.

Expressing serious concern over the development, Assam MLA Jayanta Malla Baruah, who is also the chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), has termed it as an irresponsible attitude of Delhi government and has condemned the incident.

Also Read: Assam reports 7 mores cases of COVID-19 taking the total to 68

“I must say that it’s the reflection of the irresponsible attitude of the Delhi government. How they can behave like this. They have everything, right from phone number to the home addresses of the deceased. The wife and one of the attendants are there in Delhi itself. It’s utter negligence,” Baruah regretted.

Also Read: Quarantine centre at IIT Guwahati, residents decry ‘hurried’ move

Meanwhile, urging the Assam government to take initiative so that Bonti Saikia and one of their attendants, Kankanjyoti Saikia, can return to the state safely, family members of the deceased have also requested the state government to order for a high-level inquiry into the whole incident.

Now, the body of Ajit Saikia will be cremated as per standing norms in presence of official representatives of Assam government in New Delhi on Tuesday. Later, video footage and pictures relating to the cremation will be officially submitted to the bereaved family members of the deceased.