Muslim Youths in Mumbai Perform Last Rites of Hindu Neighbor

                                                     (File Photo)                                                                                                       

Away from their religious constraints, a group of members from the Muslim community have come forward to help their Hindu fellows and neighbors in the time of ‘Coronavirus Crisis’ in Mumbai.

A group of Muslim youths helped in performing the last rites of their 72-year-old Hindu neighbor in Sewri area, after they knew that the deceased's relatives could not arrive for his funeral due to the lockdown. 

The elderly man, identified as Pandurang Ubale, who was paralyzed since the last few months, died at his residence in Zakaria Bunder area of Sewri on May 12, 2020. The deceased along with his wife and son was staying in the Muslim-dominated areas for the past few decades.

Despite getting information, the deceased’s relatives staying in suburban Mulund, Belapur in neighboring Navi Mumbai and Alibaug, close to Raigad district, could not arrive due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The funeral processes would halt as Ubale's wife and son were unable to make all arrangements for the funeral. They, the deceased’s family, however informed their neighbors, who came forward to help and even prepared the bier.

Speaking to the media, a neighbor, Asif Sheikh, who attended the funeral said, “We knew Ubale uncle since a long time. He always participated in our festivals and we used to be a part of their festivities. We all came forward to bid him a farewell and helped in performing his last rites”.

Noticeably, a group of Muslim youths carried the body of a Hindu neighbor in suburban Bandra on their shoulders to the cremation ground after the deceased's relatives were unable to attend the last rites due to the lockdown, last month.