In an eyeball- raising incident of stigmatization around COVID-19, the dead body of a 72-year-old man in Andhra Pradesh, who was a COVID-19 patient, was reportedly carried to the crematorium in an earthmover. The incident took place in the Palasa town of the Srikakulam district of the state.

The incident has drawn sharp reactions from many, including the CM of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The CM office reportedly said, "It is inhuman and protocols have already been clarified on how to deal with such cases."

The body was reportedly carried in a JCB earthmover by officials wearing personal protective equipment after the neighbours of the deceased made hue and cry about the body being a threat to the neighbourhood. As members of the opposition party are making uproar around the incident, the state government has ordered a probe into the matter.