A COVID-19 death in Karnataka has exposed the inhuman and ignorant side of people. Residents of villages in Dakshina Kannada district seem to have fallen prey to the ‘not-in-my-backyard’ syndrome and prevented the cremation of a COVID-19 victim.
On April 23, the health authorities in Dakshina Kannada district literally drove more than 40 kilometres from one village to another in search of a burial ground, after local residents refused to allow the cremation of the COVID-19 patient. The local MLAs chose to stand with the people instead of convincing them that the burial or cremation, as per the COVID-19 guidelines, was safe.
A 75-year-old woman (P432) from Kasba in Bantwal taluk died of COVID-19 in Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, four days after her daughter-in-law (P390) died due to the same disease.
P432 had a history of hypertension, stroke and pneumonia and it was suspected she contracted the virus from P390, a 50-year-old bank employee.
While both women were admitted to Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, the cremation of P390 was held at a crematorium closer to the hospital. But when the district administration arranged for the cremation of P432, the local residents in Pacchanadi in Mangaluru protested and drove out the officials.
The ordeal continued late through the night as the body was shunted from one crematorium to the other as villagers in Moodushedde and Nandigudde too put up resistance. Finally, the body was brought back to Bantwal and cremated at the Kaikunje burial ground amid protests from the locals there too.
While, Mangalore city (North) MLA Dr Y. Bharat Shetty objected to the cremation in his constituency, saying he was not informed well in advance, Moodbidre MLA Umanath Kotian too opposed the cremation in his constituency, saying his people are in panic.
"We told people that COVID-19 was infectious and asked them stay indoors, lock down the cities and villages to contain its spread. The people are opposing because the burial ground is too close to the village and their houses. The district administration should identify a burial ground far from the villages," said Kotian.
Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik spent anxious moments as people in his constituency too grew restless and gathered at Kaikunje Hindu burial ground. He told the authorities to cremate the body in his own farmland. However, the Bantwal police and district officials conducted the cremation under tight security at Kaikunje.
While the district administration was no doubt ill-prepared to handle the cremation of COVID-19 cases, it is clear the elected representatives too failed to handle the fear and panic of their constituents.
Previously too, when P390, who was admitted with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), died on April 19, the district administration had cremated the body in Bolar in Mangaluru amid protests from local residents. Five days later too, the situation had changed little.
Mangalore MLA U.T. Khader rapped the district administration and called the incident a "blot" on the district. "The Covid action plan should have factored in the burial and cremation needs too," said Khader.
Meanwhile, leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah has demanded action against Dr Bharat Shetty under the new ordinance passed by the Centre against people attacking frontline workers and those obstructing COVID-19 work. "Not allowing the cremation of a Covid victim is not just illegal but inhuman too," said Siddaramaiah.
The government’s COVID-19 spokesperson, Minister S. Suresh Kumar, said the incident was "regretful" and there was a need to create awareness among the people. "How would we react if our own family members were in that situation? Would you refuse the cremation? It is inhuman," said Kumar.