Two photographs of an old man and a woman were going viral on social media platforms on Wednesday. In one photo, the old man could be seen carrying the body of a woman through his cycle. On the other, the body could be seen lying on the road with the old man and the cycle collapsed nearby.
The old man was identified as Tilakdhari Singh from Amberpur village in Uttar Pradesh. He is 70 years old, and the woman was identified as his wife Rajkumari (50). Tilak had admitted Rajkumari at Umanath Singh District Hospital in Jaunpur city in UP.
Rajkumari died later as her health condition worsened. The hospital had sent the body in an ambulance back to her house, and Tilak thought he could cremate his wife’s corpse at the local crematorium.
Though the administration (Hospital/Local) had not confirmed whether the cause of death was due to covid infection or other causes, the panicked villagers assumed themselves that cremating her body in the village crematorium could spread covid, and denied cremation.
The 70-year old man had no way but to take his deceased wife’s body elsewhere for cremation. Times Now mentioned NDTV’s report in which it was conveyed that Tilak thought of consigning his wife’s body to the nearby Sai River.
Cops come to help
While en route on a deserted-looking road, the man collapsed with his cycle, and his wife’s body fell on the road. The desolated septuagenarian sat on the sides of the road without knowing what else to do. A policeman saw this tragedy and came forward to help the old man. He informed his senior officers and after that, the body was cremated. Similar incidents have been reported in the media.
Delhi Cops take up the responsibility
News agency ANI reported on Monday about the final rites performed by Delhi Cops on humanitarian grounds in Dwarka.
A woman named Jai Matnani was in Dwarka recently to stay with her brother in his house. As she turned sick, she was admitted to a hospital. Later she was found to be positive with covid-19. While receiving treatment, she passed away. However, no one from her family came forward to perform the final rites. So the Delhi Police stepped in and did it.
“As there was nobody to take responsibility for the cremation of the dead body of the deceased lady, on humanitarian ground Dwarka Police team took the responsibility for the cremation of the deceased lady and the dead body was immediately shifted to the cremation ground, Sector 24, Dwarka and cremation of the dead body has been done as per Hindu rites,” the police reportedly said.
Kindness shown by TMMK in Covai
On Wednesday, The Hindu published an article on Wednesday about volunteers of the medical wing of Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) who have performed final rites for many in the district.
“The volunteers have so far rendered the service for the burial/cremation of 138 persons from different faiths who died of COVID-19 in Coimbatore district”, The Hindu’s reporter Wilson Thomas shared on Twitter.
TMMK started offering last rites to covid victims since last April. It has cremated/buried more than 2000 such persons till date in Tamil Nadu. Hindustan Times also highlighted the services done by the NGO in an article on Thursday.
“Initially in Chennai we were burying unknown and unclaimed bodies. When we saw the first body in Chennai being flung into a ditch, it really shocked us. So we performed last rites from any religion to give them a respectful burial”, said Kaleel Rahuman, Treasurer of TMMK’s state medical wing.
Running short !
Like medical drugs, oxygen and beds; kindness is also depleting fast. As of now, those who have it in abundance are sharing it on behalf of those who could not. As the second wave turns serious, we all need to stockpile some additional kindness for our species.