Muslim social workers come to rescue of deceased’s family when community members keep away

A Hindu construction worker from Howrah in West Bengal who had come to see his daughter and son-in-law was denied last rites by his community members. When there was no help, it was a group of Muslims who shouldered the responsibility.

Kartik Das, a 61-year-old Kolkata resident, died on April 17 due to cardiac arrest. He had travelled to Bengaluru to visit his pregnant daughter and her husband Pintu Das. When he was set to return, lockdown was announced, and he was stuck.

When news of his death reached the neighbours, several of them, who hailed from West Bengal, refused to come to the rescue of the family fearing that the death was due to COVID-19 infection.

His son-in-law Pintu Das approached a social worker Saleem Pasha for help. Upon his request, Saleem and several of his friends procured a certificate of natural death from a nursing home, took a certificate from the local police station and organised the funeral and took the body to the local crematorium.

Pasha wrapped the body in a clean sheet, burnt incense sticks and handed over the body to the crematorium in Hebbal area of Bengaluru. They also paid the cremation fee of Rs 3,500.

Once the lockdown is lifted, the social workers say, they will make arrangements to send back the widow of Kartik Das to Kolkata by air.