Show Of Humanity: Karnataka Man Conducts Funerals Of Disowned COVID Bodies, Charges Zero

Last week, people were left horrified as visuals of dead bodies washing up on river Ganga in several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, surfaced.

A Good Samaritan from Karnataka is conducting the last rites of the disowned bodies, making sure their cremation is performing with dignity. Milan Rafiq owns a furniture shop in Hiriyur town of Chitradurga in Karnataka. He ferries bodies of COVID patients to graveyards and crematoriums and performs the last rites.

So far, he has buried over 200 bodies, 80 of who died due to COVID.

"Covid has killed humanity. People are not ready to take care of their family members, including ailing parents on their deathbeds," Rafiq told The New Indian Express.

After he saw the disowned bodies lying in the mortuary of Hiriyur Taluk Hospital, he decided to cremate them and go beyond caste, creed and religion. At a time when ambulances are charging sky-high prices to ferry the bodies, Rafiq accepts the money offered to him and does not charge any fixed amount. He transports bodies from several districts, including Chitradurga, Bengaluru and Kolar, in his Omni van.

He buries two bodies a day, and on weekends, the number doubles. He also ensures his safety while cremating the bodies and wears PPE kits, and sanitises the Omni after work is done, the media reported.

The cost of petrol and vehicle repair is shared by his friends, who Rafiq says has stood behind him ever since he started the services Not only this, he has been using his fixed deposit to meet the costs. His wife Shahtaj Begum, son Mohammed Zubair and son-in-law Mohammed Ali support him in his work.

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