Funeral in Bharatpur Crematorium Carried Out Under Headlights as Streetlights Fail Again

Bharatpur: In a shocking display of systemic neglect, family members at Kali Bagichi Crematorium in Bharatpur were forced to use car headlights and mobile flashlights to perform the last rites of their loved one. The incident raises serious questions about civic responsibility, coming barely a month after a similar failure in the city’s crematorium facilities.

Two Hours in Darkness
Ashok Kumar, a 70-year-old resident of Mori Char Bagh, passed away after a prolonged illness. Around 7 PM, when his family arrived at the crematorium for the funeral, they were stunned to find the area shrouded in complete darkness. According to his son, Vishal Kumar, the streetlights at the crematorium were non-functional, and there was no security staff present. The family had no option but to park their vehicles near the pyre and illuminate the area with headlights, completing the funeral rites after a grueling two-hour struggle.

Blame Game: Municipal Corporation vs. Electricity Company
The episode has triggered a clash of statements between authorities. Shravan Vishnoi, Commissioner of Bharatpur Municipal Corporation, claimed a technical fault caused the outage and assured that engineers were immediately dispatched. In contrast, Sudhir Pratap, PRO of BESL electricity company, refuted the municipal claims, stating that power supply in the area was uninterrupted and there were no faults reported.

A Repeat of Past Negligence
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Just a month ago, Jagdish Prasad Singhal’s funeral had to be conducted using torchlight due to similar streetlight failures. Despite apologies and promises from the municipal commissioner to improve arrangements, yesterday’s incident indicates that no meaningful corrective action has been taken.

The disturbing events at Kali Bagichi Crematorium highlight the urgent need for accountability and proper infrastructure, especially at places meant to uphold dignity in life’s final rites.