Nikhat Fatima. Siyasat.net
Hyderabad. Khaja Miya, 55 years died of heart attack on May 22 in the holy month of Ramzan in the morning around 10.30 am. But his family was in for a shock when the graveyard Mutawali (caretaker) denied a place for his burial.
Native of Kurnool, approximately 200 kilometers away from Hyderabad, Khaja Miya and his family were living in Gandhamguda in Ranga Reddy district from the last 10 years.
They approached nearly 6 Muslim graveyards but were denied place for burial due to the fear of conornavirus even though his death was due to heart attack.
The local leader Sandeep with help from the area corporator Chandrashekar from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party approached 2 graveyards in Langar houz, Sun City, Bandlaguda , Peerancheruvu but were not given permission for the burial. One Mutawali asked them to take the body to his native village as he hailed from there.
But taking the body so far was not possible due to financial constraints and lack of transportation due to the lockdown.
When asked if a Hindu cemetery is alright, the family agreed and thus khaja Miya was laid to rest in a Hindu cemetery at Gandhamguda with Islamic rites.
This has become common amongst the graveyard caretakers due to the fear of COVID 19. And now an alternate burial place has been made in Balapur, outkisrts of Hyderabad for people suspected to have died from contracting coronavirus.
This incident came to light only after 5 day so the burial and has enraged many Muslim leaders who condemned this act of the Mutawalis.
Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbarudiin Owaisi said that this is an inhuman act and it is on their suggestion that the alternate graveyard has been established where at least bodies 14 Muslims have been buried so far.
Calling the incident shameful, Amjed Ullah Khan from the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) has requested the Wakf Board to start a helpline for such people whose families face problems to bury their dead where the caretakers are demanding money.
Many local groups and leaders brought this to the notice of the Wakf Board Chairperson Md Saleem who has issued notices to the mutawalis of the 6 graveyards. And he also assured strict action will be taken against Mutawalis demanding money to allot a place for burial.
There was also a lot of appreciation for Sandeep and Chandrashekar for helpling the family to find a place of burial.
“However a condition has been laid that the grave of Khaja Miyan will not be a ‘pakki khabar’ said a source to Siyasat.net.
“We have been reading about incidents where Hindus have refused to perform the last rites of their dead due to the fear of Coronavirus and Muslim youth have helped; this incident where Muslims refuse to bury their dead and Hindus coming out to help shows that humanity and concern for each other still thrives in our pluralistic society.” Said an activist working for communal harmony in Hyderabad. (With Media Input)
