Tamil Nadu: Disrupting last rites to attract three-year jail term

TNN | Apr 27, 2020, 11:10 IST

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The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday issued an ordinance that seeks to sentence people to three years in prison for disrupting or preventing burial of patients who die due to notified diseases. The move comes in the wake of increasing incidents of local people preventing burial of bodies of Covid-19 victims in Chennai and other parts of the state.
Anyone preventing or attempting to prevent the bodies of patients, who die of notified diseases, from getting a dignified burial or cremation will be sentenced anywhere from one year to three years, besides a fine, under Section 74 of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, a statement from the state government said.
A few days ago, a mob indulged in violence and prevented the burial of Dr Simon Hercules, a neurosurgeon, in the city. His body was later buried with police protection.
The incident led to a political outcry, with chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and DMK president M K Stalin and other opposition leaders condemning such acts. Several political leaders urged the state to educate the public that burying/ cremating the dead bodies of such victims does not cause coronavirus to spread.