Jammu, Jun 19 (IANS): Even as authorities ordered a probe into the death of two persons while cremating their relative who died of coronavirus, the father of one of the deceased on Friday alleged his son was "murdered by the authorities by their negligence".

Two cousins -- Vipin Zadoo, 30 and Vimal Zadoo, 43 -- had collapsed while cremating their uncle on Thursday and died at the cremation ground. Their uncle had died at the Jammu Government Medical College Hospital.

Vipin's father told the reporters here that the authorities had made no proper arrangements for cremation, except for providing PPE to the two men for the cremation.

"They died due to the negligence of the authorities. When my son collapsed at the cremation ground, there was nobody to give him even a glass of water.

"The authorities have proved to be my son's killers. I am a widower and dreamt of getting my son married but here I am mourning his death," the sobbing man said.

Eyewitnesses to the cremation alleged that the two cousins died of dehydration as they were standing in the open when city temperature was hovering around 42 degrees Celsius.

Jammu District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan has since ordered the completion of the magisterial inquiry within four days into the death of the two men.