Protests mark cremation of Covid victim in Mangaluru

The district administration’s lack of planning in ensuring a dignified farewell for Covid-19 victims was exposed on Thursday.

After hopping from one burial ground to another, the cremation of the 75-year-old woman took place amid tight police security in Kaikunja crematorium near Bantwal railway station in the wee hours on Friday.

Following protests during the cremation of the first Covid-19 victim at Boloor crematorium, it was decided to cremate the woman at Pacchanady crematorium, by members of Dead Body Management Team.

When residents opposed the move to cremate the body at Pacchanady, MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty took sides with the people instead of convincing them.

Dr Shetty initially claimed not being consulted over the decision to cremate the woman in Pachhanady.

Later, he tweeted accusing ‘a few’ of misleading the people in the district that Covid-19 infects others even after the death of the victim.

“To ensure that law and order was not affected, I had opposed the cremation,” he said in his reply posted on Twitter.

Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian refused to cremate the dead woman in Moodushedde. He said the woman should be cremated at Bantwal.

Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik, after consulting his wife and son, invited officials to cremate the woman at his farm. He had reportedly told officials that he should not deny a dignified crematorium for a woman hailing from his constituency.

DK Superintendent of Police B M Laxmi Prasad said under the standard operating procedures (SOP), the body could not be cremated in private farmland. Finally, the body was cremated at Kaikunja crematorium amidst tight police security.

Failure flayed

MLC Ivan D’Souza accused the district administration of failing to initiate measures to cremate the body as per the SoP. Authorities should explain why they had to struggle to cremate a body until the wee hours.

“The district administration should take a firm stand on the cremation of those who die of Covid-19,” he said.

DYFI president Muneer Katipalla described the decision of elected representatives as disappointing. As an MLA, he should have convinced the protesters and allowed the cremation.

Meanwhile, B M Bhat and Shyamaraj, brothers from Bolodi in Patrame village of Belthangady taluk, posted a message on Facebook inviting the district administration to cremate those killed by Covid-19 in their land.

Action demanded

Indian Red Cross-DK expressed appreciation to the magnanimous act of Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik for offering his private estate to perform the last rites of patient number 390.

The district administration should invoke necessary provisions under the Disaster Management Act and take action against those denying last rites to victims of epidemic diseases, they stated in a release.