TMMK volunteers help to bury or cremate COVID-19 victims

The volunteers have so far helped to bury or cremate over 2,170 persons of different faiths.

Even while observing the dawn-to-dusk Ramzan fasting, volunteers of the medical wing of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) continue the service they started last year — offering a decent burial or cremation of COVID-19 victims. The volunteers have so far helped to bury or cremate over 2,170 persons of different faiths. “Our volunteers helped in the burial or cremation of 1,820 persons who died of COVID-19 till March 31. More than 350 bodies were handled in April alone, till Monday,” says M. Mohamed Rafi, joint secretary of the medical wing. The TMMK started the service, seeing the reluctance of people to perform the last rites of their beloved ones who died of the contagion. The volunteers do not charge for their service. But the cost of the personal protective equipment they use and the cremation and burial charges are borne by the families of the deceased. “If a family is unable to bear these expenses, volunteers try to source money from sponsors,” Mr. Rafi says.