Chennai, April 20: Locals in Anna Nagar in Chennai protested against the burial of the body of a 55-year-old doctor who died of coronavirus on Sunday. They pelted stones at the ambulance which was carrying the doctor's body, injuring the driver and a sanitation worker. The deceased, a neurosurgeon and the chairman of a private hospital in Chennai, was later laid to rest under police protection. Coronavirus Tracker Live.

After battling for life for over two weeks, the doctor succumbed to coronavirus infection at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai on Sunday. Ambulance staff of his hospital ferried the mortal remains of the doctor to the Velangadu crematorium and burial ground around midnight. Locals hurled stones at the ambulance and gathered there holding sticks against the burial of the doctor's body. Tamil Nadu: Crime Rate in Chennai Falls Sharply by 71% Since Start of Coronavirus Lockdown.

"It was dark. People started hurling stones at us. My driver and I were hit by stones," Anand, an employee in the hospital run by the neurosurgeon, told Times of India. Later, police arrived and the body of the doctor was finally laid to rest in the same burial ground. According to reports, the burial was protested against when the doctor's body was taken to a crematorium near Kilpauk.

After locals held protests, the mortal remains of the doctor were brought to Velangadu, where residents protested again and attacked the ambulance. Around 20 people were arrested for damaging the ambulance. This is the second incident of a doctor being disallowed burial in Chennai. Recently, in Ambattur, a doctor from Apollo Vanagaram was not allowed space for burial by locals.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2020 02:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).