Humanity Comes First: Muslim Woman Performs Last Rites Of Hindu COVID Patient In Maharashtra

In a heartwarming gesture, a Muslim woman from Maharashtra's Kolhapur performed the last rites of a COVID patient, who happened to be a Hindu man on May 9.

Ayesha Raut, senior manager at the city's Aster Adhar Hospital, came forward to perform the last rites of 81-year-old Sudhakar Vedak who had succumbed to the infection after battling it for a week in the same hospital. Vedak's family members could not make it to the funeral since they too tested positive for the virus, reported The Times of India.

Raut had been visiting crematoriums to distribute PPE kits to the workers as part of her contribution during the holy month of Ramzan. On that particular day, she was at the Panchganga crematorium when she received a call from the man's daughter, Dr Harshala Vedak requesting to facilitate her father's final rites in her absence.

"There was no issue at all with Ayesha, being a Muslim, performing the last rites. In fact, we all are full of gratitude for what she did," said Dr Harshala.

Numerous such incidents have been reported where people have gone beyond the spectrum of caste, creed, and colour to lend a helping hand to the ones in need amid the second phase of the coronavirus outbreak. From providing home-cooked meals, arranging for critical medical supplies including oxygen cylinders and hospital beds and donating for causes to strengthen the fight against the pandemic, people in the country have been breaking barriers.

Last month, a story surfaced from Lucknow about a group of young Muslim men, who had been conducting the last rites of both Hindu and Muslim COVID patients, while fasting during the holy month of Ramzan.

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