All deaths are not due to Covid. Still, people are not prepared to believe it. Even family members, at times, get reluctant to bring the bier to the graveyard.
And such a thing has happened in Sambalpur city where different categories of people live in. Even in hospitals, the bodies of the real Corona patients are carried by the medical staff since most of the family members do not do the same. As per information, a 52-year- old man belonging to Hindu community died in Sakhipada of the city due to cardiac arrest.
He even didn’t go to the hospital for treatment. But neighbours didn’t come forward to bring the body to the grave yard. The situation was such that the elder daughter of a relative of the deceased had to give shoulder.
But two Muslim youths who are neighbours came forward and gave shoulders to bring the body as it is believed that ‘Chari Kandha’ (taking the body by four persons) is a respect to the departed soul as per Hindu tradition. And that really took place. But the problem started before setting fire to the body when the Brahmin/priest asked the people to make round the body ‘seven times’. It was not possible by the daughter and the family members.
But family members of deceased gave their consent to Muslim youths to go round and that was done. Humanity is bigger than religion. Both Hindu and Muslim families and their members proved it during Covid crisis. And it is a talk of the town now.