Police Investigate COVID-19 Funeral Incident Without Procedure In Bantul

Hearings of representatives of the Bantul FPRB with the Head of Criminal Investigation at the Bantul Police at the Bantul Police Headquarters, regarding the incident of the burial of the COVID-19 corpse that was not according to procedures in the Lopati, Trimurti, Srandakan, Bantul areas / Antara

JAKARTA - The Bantul Police, Yogyakarta Special Region, will investigate the incident of burial of COVID-19 bodies that did not comply with health protocol procedures in Lopati Hamlet, Trimurti Village, Srandakan District.

"A visit from our colleague FPRB Bantul to complain about a case related to the burial of the COVID-19 corpse in the Lopati Srandakan area, the connection to the case that was reported here will be followed up," said Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Kasat Reskrim) of the Bantul Police, AKP Ngadi, after the hearing in Bantul Police, reported by Antara, Wednesday, June 2.

He said the police were still unable to conclude that there was a violation of the COVID-19 prevention health protocol in the funeral of the corpse that was tested positive for the corona virus, because they were still investigating reports from the disaster volunteers.

"We will investigate the case with law enforcement first, today the person concerned from the FPRB has just made a report at the Bantul Police," he said.

He also said that the police would ask for information from witnesses or Lopati residents who knew about the incident and why there was a rejection of the burial of COVID-19 bodies according to procedures and instead buried in public as reported by the FPRB.

"If there is incitement, we will apply it in accordance with the law related to this process and of course we must first receive the report, then we will examine the witnesses, look for supporting evidence, we will submit it at a later date," he said.

However, said the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bantul Police, before the witnesses were examined and asked for information, a health examination would be carried out first, considering the possibility of contact with residents related to the burial of the COVID-19 corpse.

"Technically, before they are questioned, we will first check those concerned with rapid tests, or swabs or other tests according to existing regulations. What is clear is that we will first investigate whether there is a violation or not," said AKP Ngadi.

The head of the Bantul FPRB, Waljito, said the bodies that tested positive for COVID-19 should have been buried according to the procedures by officers and volunteers, but the family and some residents refused and instead buried themselves without using complete personal protective equipment (PPE).

"I have conveyed to the police because this institution is one of the pillars of enforcement related to the handling of COVID-19, hopefully we will encourage it later, we ask the police to follow up on this incident," he said.

He said that if criminal elements were found or there was incitement in the enforcement of health protocols, strict action should be taken, as a therapeutic shock and learning to the community about handling COVID-19, which is believed together that this is a pandemic that must end soon.

The incident began with patient Jumirah (70), a resident of Lopati, Trimurti who checked at the Pura Raharja Kulon Progo clinic on Wednesday, May 19 and was declared reactive, then referred to RSPS Bantul, and on May 20 tested positive for COVID-19 with concomitant heart disease and stroke. underwent treatment until he finally died on June 1.

Due to Jumirah's death, his biological children, namely Sukardi and Warno, refused to have a COVID-19 funeral, then the body was delivered by the hospital to the general cemetery of Lopati, Trimurti, Srandakan Hamlet and buried by residents without using PPE according to the procedure.

In fact, on the same day the head of the Lopati Hamlet came and appealed to the family for the funeral to comply with the procedures for the COVID-19 corpse, but the family rejected the request on the grounds that it was not in accordance with Islamic law.