The family members of a COVID-19 victim on August 11 alleged that they were asked to pay Rs 51,000 to catch a glimpse of their departed relative at a crematorium in Howrah district.

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The incident took place at the Shibpur burning ghat along the Ganga when the family members of the deceased, a resident of Howrah's Shibpur area, went to the crematorium. They requested the corporation officials to allow them to see the deceased's face once before the cremation. They were asked to pay Rs.51,000 but later settled that by offering Rs.2,500, they alleged.

The deceased tested positive for Coronavirus on August 7 and got admitted to Sanjiban Hospital at Fuleswar in the district. He died on August 9. His body was taken for cremation on August 11 afternoon. "We all went to the crematorium to take part in our brother's final journey. We requested them just to show us his face before the body was consigned to flames. They asked me to pay Rs.51,000 but later we managed by paying them Rs.2,500. We were helpless and bereaved," said the victim's brother. Meanwhile, the family has already lodged a written complaint with the office of the district Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH).

The officials of Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), the state's second-largest civic body after the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), also assured that necessary action would be taken in the matter. "The civic body will definitely look into the issue," a senior HMC official said.