Ex-Law Minister writes to CJI, flags video of dog nibbling at body in UP

Former Union law minister and senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar

Former Union law minister and senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar has written to Chief Justice S A Bobde and other judges of the Supreme Court urging them to take cognizance of a recent incident in which a stray dog nibbled at the body of a girl inside an Uttar Pradesh government hospital.

A video of the incident had surfaced on social media last week. The 15-year-old victim had died in an accident.
The letter also mentioned judgements of the Supreme Court, as well as the Madras and Bombay High Courts, that speak of “a fundamental right to die with dignity embracing right to decent burial or cremation”.

Kumar recalled that the top court had earlier taken cognisance “when the dumping of Covid-19 related dead bodies in a ditch was brought to its notice”.

“It is apparent, however, that despite the several rulings of the Court reiterating the right to dignity in death, there are continuing heart-rending aberrations in this regard,” he added.

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