kartar Singh Lehri
AMRITSAR: With many people refusing to cremate bodies of persons who died of Covid-19, even if they happen to be deceased loved ones, it is up to the administration to perform their last rites. Under such circumstances, Kartar Singh Lehari, a patwari has volunteered to cremate bodies of people who died of the disease. His first such cremation was spiritual singer Padma Shri Nimral Singh Ragi, who died of coronavirus infection on April 2. Since then, Lehari has cremated 21 bodies of Covid 19 patients.
Lehari told TOI on Sunday that being a patwari, he was asked by his seniors to identify a cremation ground for Ragi’s last rites. However, he recalled the resistance they faced from residents of the area around Verka cremation ground, who feared the spread of coronavirus infection if the body of a person who died of the disease was cremated nearby. “Late in the evening, using lights of vehicles, the ambulance driver, the helper and I wore PPE kits. We took Ragi’s body from the ambulance and prepared a pyre. The pyre was lit by Ragi’s son,” he said.
AMRITSAR: With many people refusing to cremate bodies of persons who died of Covid-19, even if they happen to be deceased loved ones, it is up to the administration to perform their last rites. Under such circumstances, Kartar Singh Lehari, a patwari has volunteered to cremate bodies of people who died of the disease. His first such cremation was spiritual singer Padma Shri Nimral Singh Ragi, who died of coronavirus infection on April 2. Since then, Lehari has cremated 21 bodies of Covid 19 patients.
Lehari told TOI on Sunday that being a patwari, he was asked by his seniors to identify a cremation ground for Ragi’s last rites. However, he recalled the resistance they faced from residents of the area around Verka cremation ground, who feared the spread of coronavirus infection if the body of a person who died of the disease was cremated nearby. “Late in the evening, using lights of vehicles, the ambulance driver, the helper and I wore PPE kits. We took Ragi’s body from the ambulance and prepared a pyre. The pyre was lit by Ragi’s son,” he said.
According to him, there is no higher form of service to humanity than giving a dignified send-off to people rejected by their own. Therefore, he said he approached his seniors to volunteer his services for cremation of persons dying of coronavirus infection in future.
“Till now, I have cremated 21 people who died of Covid-19 and it has now become a mission of my life,” he said, adding that his wife Jaswinder Kaur, a teacher, never objected to him for doing the ‘risky’ job. “I tell my wife whenever I go to cremate a person who died of Covid 19. She offers prayers for me until I come home but I take adequate precautions like removing the clothes and taking a bath before entering my home,” he said.
Due to misinformation and social stigma surrounding the cremation of Covid 19 dead, the next of kin of the deceased often disown their loved ones and refused to even accompany them to the cremation ground.
“But now, in some cases, family members of Covid 19 deceased have started coming forward to at least light the pyres. Earlier, relatives, including wives or children would refuse to come to the cremation ground. Those who did would remain at a distance and record videos on their mobiles,” he said.
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