Mumbai: A 65-year-old Muslim man, a resident of Malad, who succumbed to coronavirus on Wednesday, was cremated at a Hindu crematorium after the trustees of a cemetery refused to allow his body to be buried there.
The deceased's family members have alleged that despite several requests, the trustees of the burial ground did not allow the burial, forcing them to cremate the body against their religious beliefs. The deceased, who resided in the Collector Compound area of Malwani, Malad West, died at the civic-run trauma hospital in Jogeshwari East on Wednesday.
A relative alleged that when his body was taken to the Malad Malwani Kabrastan (Muslim burial ground), its trustees refused to allow the burial because "he died of coronavirus". The relative, who did not wish to be named, said, "We requested, and even begged for help. The burial ground is near our residence, and so we decided to take the body to Malwani.
The trustees at the kabrastan, however, did not cite any rule; they simply denied us entry because my brother died of Covid-19. This was despite the local BMC authorities giving permission for the burial at 4 am," he added. The local police and a politician (who did not wish to name) intervened and requested the trustees to allow the burial. Their request was turned down, too, the relative said.
As the delay in disposal of the body was causing some anxiety, locals and social workers intervened and requested a nearby Hindu crematorium to cremate the body. As they agreed to do so, the deceased was finally cremated at 10 am. The son of the deceased has alleged that nobody guided them or helped after his father was declared dead at the hospital.
"I kept sitting beside the body outside the hospital for more than three hours. Our family decided to bury him at Malwani kabrastan as it is near our residence. However, they cremated my father's body against our religious beliefs."
The BMC, earlier this week, had released a circular stating that all Covid-19 casualties in Mumbai will have to be cremated, irrespective of their religion. However, hours later, the civic body withdrew its order after consultation with the state government.
State Minority Development minister Nawab Malik took to Twitter to announce that the BMC had withdrawn the circular after he spoke to Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi. Local corporator, Qamarjahan Siddiqui, refused to comment on the refusal by the burial ground trustees, saying, "I was not informed about this incident; hence I am not going to comment about it."
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party corporator from Govandi, Rukhsana Siddique, expressed shock over the incident. "When the BMC staff knows that as per the circular, a COVID-19 victim should be buried at a nearby cemetery, then why did they take the body to Malad (West) although the patient died at a hospital in Jogeshwari (East)? This is their fault and the family of the deceased had to face such a consequence."
Maharashtra minister and MLA from Malad (west), Aslam Shaikh, however, slammed the civic body and demanded stringent action against those responsible for the incident. "The civic body's own orders have clarified that Muslim COVID-19 victims should be buried at a cemetery, which is closest to the place where the patient dies.
But because the family of the deceased decided to take his body directly to Malad Malwani Kabrastan, civic officials allowed them to do so. None of the trustees of the Kabrastan were informed that the body of the Covid-19 victim was being transported there for burial.
They cannot just reach there and demand his burial," Shaikh said, justifying the move by the Kabrastan trustees. Shaikh added, "An inquiry should be conducted in this matter and stringent action should be initiated against the civic staff responsible for this lapse.
Day before yesterday, another coronavirus victim was buried at the same Kabrastan. They followed the rules and hence were allowed to carry out the burial." Sanjog Kabare, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of P (south) ward (Malad west, Malwani), could not be reached.
