It's his kid's birthday, it's Onam, but this man is busy with burial of Covid victims

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A yellow-coloured shirt with a blue overcoat; that's what Shyjumon, a contingent employee and who is part of Covid-19 rapid response team of city corporation bought for his three-year-old son's birthday which falls on Onam (Sunday). He can only keep the gift with him since he is part of the team that has been doing burial of Covid victims for the past five months. He hasn't seen his son for two months. Over the last five months, all the 12 members in the team have stayed away from their homes and have taken up the responsibility to give proper, honorable funeral to people who die of Covid 19.
"We have been informed about burial on Thiruonam day as well. I won't be able to give this kodi (new clothes and birthday gift) to my son on his birthday. We all remain distant from our families till our job is done, we want them to be safe," said Shyjumon. He along with his friends however did something special on Saturday.
The daily wage labourers of corporation's rapid response team shelled out money from their meagre savings and gifted new clothes to the inmates of corporation's destitute home at Kalladimugham on Saturday. They purchased Onam kodi for 45 inmates at the destitute home.
Even when other local bodies faced protests from public against burial of mortal remains of Covid 19 victims, the city corporation team had whole heartedly received the body and done burial of the victims. All the members in the team are paid wages on daily basis and they saved a portion of their earnings to pool funds for purchase of Onam kodi for the inmates of destitute home. "We did whatever little we could, we know that the clothes we purchased were not of high quality, but we were happy to give it to those people," said Shyju.
Mayor K Sreekumar who attended the function posted on Facebook that it was one of the most memorable events in his life. "This 12 member team had so far conducted burial of 91 Covid victims. None of them had been tested positive so far, fortunately. They have received those bodies when there were no takers. The image of rapid response team who hold their hands in prayer during the funeral of Covid victims shows their big heart," said mayor K Sreekumar.