In an exemplary show of communal harmony, Muslim youths in Ranipura, Indore, performed the last rites of their Hindu neighbour, reportedThe Quint.
The woman, identified as Durga, was a resident of South Ranipura and had died of prolonged illness on Monday, April 6. Her two sons could only reach their residence after her demise due to the nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the fears surrounding the coronavirus outbreak, the woman’s relatives did not attend or participate in the funeral. However, the Muslim youth in her neighbourhood came forward and performed the last rites according to the Hindu rituals.
In the pictures of the incident that has surfaced online, the Mulsim youths can be carrying Durga’s bier.
In a similar incident in Uttar Pradesh last month, several Muslim youths united to cremate and perform the traditional last rites of a Hindu neighbour in Bulandshahar district.
Ravi Shankar was a resident of Anand Vihar area, a primarily Muslim neighbourhood, and had been battling with cancer for a long time.
On Saturday, March 28, the 73-year-old succumbed to the disease. When the relatives could not turn up due to the lockdown restrictions, the Muslim neighbours of the family stepped in and decided to help the family with the last rites.