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| COVID-19: Dead dishonored, denied decent burial | | Dying becomes difficult? | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 9: As Kashmir has recorded nine COVID-19 deaths in the past 24-hours, reports about people objecting to the burial of dead in local graveyards has sent shockwaves across the Valley.
According to the details available with Early Times a COVID-19 positive patient died in a Srinagar hospital on Sunday. “Local community members refused to bury the deceased in their graveyard,” said a source.
He said that later, an NGO came forward and its volunteers identified the graveyard, dug the grave and performed the burial. “When volunteers were on the job, residents opposed it. Volunteers had to face a tough time in convincing them to allow the last rites.”
An analyst while talking to Early Times said that this is not an isolated case, several cases have taken place where locals have opposed the burial of COVID-19 victims in local graveyards. “The World Health Organization has clearly stated that the dead bodies don’t transmit the virus. And virus dies once the person succumbs. It’s unfortunate that people are not understanding and are creating impediments to bury the dead,” he added.
The analyst said, “Many such incidents have been reported across the country. Recently a video of a body being dumped in a grave hurriedly in Puddcherry went viral. Its unfortunate that dead are being dishonoured. The COVID-19 pandemic has even made dying difficult. There have been instances about people disrupting the cremation of bodies also.”
An observer said, “People who are disrupting the last rites of the people should bear in mind that they too can get infected due to the COVID-19 and die. This is a pandemic and anyone can get infected. The ones who are dying due to the COVID-19 were not born with it. They caught the virus and didn’t survive. They cannot be blamed for it. Nor can they be denied a decent burial or a cremation. Not allowing last rites of the COVID-19 victims is being inhuman.” |
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