Mysuru cop gives a dignified funeral to unidentified bodies

MYSURU: Assistant sub inspector HB Madegowda, attached to Chamarajanagar East Police Station, seems fearless in the face of the unexpected outbreak of Covid-19, even going to the extent of carrying unclaimed bodies and lighting the pyre of unidentified individuals. Madegowda has given dignified farewells to more than 70 unidentified bodies in his 31 years of service.
When the villagers in Budhipadaga, Hulluru, near a forest area in Chamarajanagar district refused to cremate the body of a 50-year-old mentally ill man trampled to death by an elephant over Covid-19 scare, Madegowda arranged a funeral and gave the man a dignified farewell.
The incident happened on May 4 when the villagers found an unidentified man trampled to death near Budhipadaga in Hulluru beat under Punajanuru Forest Range, but refused to go anywhere near him.
The 54-year-old ASI, who visited the spot along with head constable Rajesh and forest staff, conducted the mahajar and collected details from the villagers. They told him that the deceased man was mentally ill and had been living in the area.
Speaking to STOI, the ASI said, “No one came to bury the body. Gram panchayat secretary Naga Nayaka and panchayat development officer Siddaraju arranged an earth mover and dug a pit to bury the body. I lifted the body and buried it. Later, I also performed the last rites for the deceased,” he said.
“I was posted at Hunsur Rural Police Station earlier and a lot unidentified bodies were recovered from Lakshmana Theertha river. As the bodies were decomposed, nobody would agree to touch or lift them from water. I would remove my uniform and fish out the bodies irrespective of the condition of the body, bury them and perform the final rites of unidentified bodies,” he said.