Kolkata, Jul 27 (IANS): In a shocking incident, the body of a 55-year-old coronavirus patient had to be kept for 18 hours at his home in Kolkata's Behala on Monday.

The patient reportedly died of acute respiratory trouble at around 10.30 p.m. on Sunday. He had tested Covid positive earlier that day.

According to local sources, his family members tried to contact Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials, the local councillor and the police but received no response from them in cremating the body as per government protocol.

The family members and the deceased's neighbours claimed that there was no response till late afternoon on Monday. Meanwhile, six family members of the victim have also tested positive for COVID-19. The residents of Behala's Sahapur now fear a spread of the virus in the area and have requested the family members of the victim to stay indoors.

In a separate incident, a 68-year-old suspected COVID-19 patient died while being taken to the hospital in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district. The incident took place at Bongaon Sub-divisional hospital on Saturday when the patient, Madhav Narayan Dutt, was being taken to the hospital.

His wife had asked for help while trying to drag him to the hospital ward. But no one came forward to help. She had then pleaded for help from bystanders but again no one came forward. Later, doctors declared the patient to be dead.

"We have come to know about the incident. It is pathetic. We are looking into it. We will take action if anyone is found guilty, said Bongaon sub-divisional hospital superintendent Shankar Prasad Mahato.