Amid COVID-19 fear, Muslims help Hindu man cremate father in Madhya Pradesh

SAGAR: A group of Muslims helped a Hindu man cremate his 60-year-old father in Sagar in Madhya Pradesh after his neighbours and relatives refused to join due due to the fear of coronavirus.

Ullas Belapurkar, an employee of a local government engineering college, died on Saturday morning reportedly of pneumonia, while his coronavirus test report is still awaited, his son Madhur said.

"My household comprises my mother, wife and I. Since women do not take part in funerary arrangements, I was left alone, without any help from my neighbours and relatives who were afraid to cremate my father due to the fear of coronavirus," he said.

However, some members of the Muslim community came forward and helped carry out the last rites as per Hindu rituals at the local crematorium on Saturday, Madhur added.

Muslim Kabristan Committee chairman Irshad Khan said, "When we got information about this issue, some of us in PPE kits went and took the body to the Muktidham (crematorium) here and helped conduct the last rites."