A group of Muslim men has been performing the last rites of Covid-19 victims, both Hindus and Muslims while fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, according to a report by The Times of India.
It is said that Imdad Imam (33) and his team of 22 men have helped cremate seven Hindus and bury 30 Muslim Covid victims, till now.
These men aged between 30-35 years, and have been doing selfless service despite the risk of getting infected and the discomfort caused by wearing PPE kits. Mehdi Raza, Kazim Abbas, Ashir Agha, Ahsan Nazir and Meraj Husain are the few others in the team.
On April 21, the team received a call from Bharat Nagar, on Sitapur road that a woman who lived alone and had Covid had died and the body had been lying there for three days. The tenants who lived on the floor above said they had not seen her, neither heard any voice for three days but there was a stench.
”There was no family member. So, with the help of a neighbour, we packed the body in a bodysuit and took it to Baikunth Dham and handed it over to Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) employees for cremation,” Imam told.
When asked whether the task was hard to perform during the month of Ramzan, Imam responded, ”Sometimes, it becomes difficult because there is no ventilation in PPE kits and we start to feel suffocated. One of us collapsed today, but got up to continue work.”
The Imam told that he started ensuring dignified last rites with his Covid-19 Tadfeen (burial) Committee, last year. ”Most either did not have a family, or their kin were not in town. In few cases, the family members were themselves ill, while in one case we were informed of a body by neighbours,” said Imam.