Yadav’s remarks came a day after a report claimed that the death toll due to Covid-19 in 24 districts of Uttar Pradesh from July 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 was up to 43 times higher than the official figures. Its findings are based on a comparison of the official death toll in these districts during the nine-month period with the excess deaths registered in the state’s Civil Registration System (CRS). The mortality data was accessed through a Right to Information (RTI) application.