Coronavirus: Deceased from Muslim community should be cremated, says Shia leader

Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi said those who die due to coronavirus even if from the Muslim community should be cremated.  

Waseem Rizvi, Shia Central Waqf Board chairman said that if a Muslim dies due to coronavirus, then they should be cremated and not buried.

He said if a Muslim person dies due to COVID-19 infection, the body should be burnt in electric machines available at the crematorium, so that the deadly virus is also killed.

He also added that if the pandemic increases in the country, the Shia Board will take an official call on whether the deceased from the Muslim community should be buried or burnt in Kabristan.

According to religious practice, Islamic funeral rites require the burial of a deceased Muslim in the ‘Kabristan’ or graveyard.

He also said that all people should stand together in the fight against coronavirus.

Coronavirus cases rose to 169 in India:

The number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 169 in India. The cases include 25 foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from the Philippines, two from the UK, one each belonging to Canada, Indonesia and Singapore.

There are nearly 170 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, with at least three deaths linked to the virus. Across the world over 8,000 have died, as per data from the World Health Organisation, and over 2 lakh are infected.