Bhopal: Two Muslim workers of Bhopal municipal corporation have been performing last rites for Hindu COVID-19 patients as the kin of the deceased refuse to cremate the bodies out of fear of the infection spread.
Danish Siddiqui and Saddam Qureshi, two Bhopal municipal corporation’s fire wing workers, have been carrying out this noble work while fasting during the holy month of Ramzan.
As they practice fast during the holy month, they said that they cater to the calls from families of COVID-19 victims who cannot perform last rites and need them to do the rituals. Some of them see the last sight of the deceased person on a video call.
Danish and Saddam, have cremated over 60 victims and believe that humanity is above religious differences. “Some people are unable to cremate because of fear and some out of financial constraints,” they said, as quoted by News 18.
Both the young men have been making rounds of hospitals and crematoriums and perform their duty whenever required, despite their fasts. In some cases, the two municipal workers have also taken up admitting the patient to the hospitals.
In case of deaths, they take the body to the crematorium and perform last rites according as per the Hindu rituals.
Amid large number of fatalities caused due to COVID-19 second wave, crematoriums, including the largest one Bhadbhada Vishesh Ghat in the city are overworked due to the influx of dead bodies. The two-acre land adjoining the crematorium is also being used to perform the last rites.
Source: Siasat
