Local residents at Ratu Road area on Sunday protested against Ranchi district administration decision to bury the body of coronavirus victim at Ratu Road Kabristhan (graveyard). The 60–year-old man and resident of Hindpiri area died at trauma centre of Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), Ranchi on Sunday. The deceased is husband of a corona infected woman, a resident of Hindpiri locality of Ranchi.
As the news spread about district administration decision to bury the body at Ratu Road Kabristhan, large number of men and women took to street opposing the burial of body at Ratu Road cemetery.
Similar type of protest was witnessed at Joda Talab Cemetery in Bariatu area as administration second option was Bariatu graveyard.
Ranchi SDM Lokesh Mishra said, “Taking note of the protest the district administration has decided that the body will not be buried at Ratu Road Kabristhan. Earlier, the district administration had chosen Ratu Road cemetery due to its large area.” Mishra further said, “The district administration is searching for place which is away from residential area for burying the body of coronavirus victim.”
Meanwhile, the residents of Ratu Road area claimed that corona infection can spread if the body is buried here. People sitting outside the cemetery main gate demanded the district administration to bury the body outside the city.
The district administration team had a hard time to pacify the crowd. Later the district administration announced that the body will not be buried at Ratu Road Kabristhan. The residents of the area after sealing all the doors of the cemetery went back to their homes on assurance from district administration.
The elderly man was among the eight people brought to RIMS from Hindpiri area of the state capital after they tested corona positive. Sources said that deceased got the infection from his wife, who was infected a Malaysian woman.
Sources said similar type of protests had occurred in other cities too as even cemetery authorities have protested against burying corona patient in their area. In Mumbai last week, a 65-year-old Muslim man from suburban Malad here, who died of coronavirus infection, was cremated after the trustees of a cemetery denied permission to bury his body there. In United States which has witnessed largest coronavirus deaths is burying bodies at separate Island. Sources said that Hart Island near New York, which for decades used as the final resting place for those who died unclaimed, is being used for unclaimed coronavirus victims. Over 150 years, the island served burial ground for victims of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic and the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
Also, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has issued these guidelines for its citizens about how to dispose of the body of a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19. As the main driver of transmission of COVID-19 is through droplets there is increased risk of COVID infection from a dead body to health workers or family members. As per guidelines the crematorium or burial ground staff should be sensitised that Covid-19 does not pose additional risk.
The staff should practice standard precautions of hand hygiene, use of masks and gloves.