Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Police volunteered to perform the last rites of an elderly Covid-19 victim here as all the relatives of the deceased woman were in hospital quarantine.
The police also helped in the burial of the deceased woman from Rainawari area of Srinagar. The funeral took place yesterday.
The woman had died a day after testing positive for the Coronavirus, in Malkha area of Srinagar yesterday. All her family members were already put in a quarantine facility.
As locals from Rainawari, Srinagar, didn’t participate in the funeral of the deceased woman over fears of contracting the virus, police extended a helping hand and decided to perform the last rites of the elderly Covid-19 victim including digging up of the grave.
No close relative of the deceased could take part in the last rites as all of them were in quarantine. Neighbors of the deceased woman said that they couldn’t participate in the last rites of the woman as guidelines suggest only a few close relatives must attend the funeral prayers of the person who dies of Covid.
“Since, a few of her relatives, who were not quarantined, got her body but police played an important role by offered to dig a grave for her voluntarily,” said a neighbor of the deceased woman. He also rubbished some media reports that the relatives of the deceased woman refused to dig a grave and offer her funeral.
This was further clarified by a doctor through his Facebook post that read: “How could have the relatives and family members of the woman participated in her funeral when all of them are in a quarantine facility.”
The 70-year-old woman from Rainawari area of Srinagar breathed her last at Chest Diseases hospital Srinagar, a day after she was tested positive for the deadly virus. Though she had underlined medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension but had no travel history or a contact history with any Covid-19 positive patient, according to doctors.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar Haseeb Mughal told NVI that police dig the grave for the elderly woman and also offered her funeral prayers too. “Boys took a lead and decided to dig a grave for the elderly victim of Covid at the graveyard,” he said.
Locals of the Rainawari area of Srinagar hailed the police gesture stating that “it was a timely move and a brave act by police for which they deserve respect and praises.”
