Thrissur, Aug 7, 2020: A 46-year-old Christian, who tested positive for Covid-19 posthumously, was cremated at a Hindu place.
Wilson Paul of Chemmanda of Karalam grama panchayat, near Irinjalakuda, died on August 3. He tested positive posthumously and the body was kept the mortuary of the Government Medical College Hospital, Thrissur.
The family decided to bury him at the cemetery of Lourde Matha Church, Chemmanda. However, deep burial maintaining Covid-19 protocol was not possible as the pit was flooded with water, according to church officials.
So with official permission from the district administration the body was taken to the Sree Narayana Bhakta Samudhayodharani Samajam Mukthistan crematorium in Irinjalakuda.
The cremation was done on August 5 according to the Covid protocol in the presence of the police, panchayat and health officials.
Parish priest Father Benny Cheruvathur led the funeral rites. A team of five priests of the Palliative Care unit of the Irinjalakuda diocese accompanied the body.
The ashes, after the cremation, were taken to the cemetery of the Lourde Matha Church and buried there. The crematorium was disinfected after the cremation.
It was the first time a man from another religion was cremated at the Mutkthistan, according to samajam sources.
Source: The Hindu