Mysore/Mysuru: The District Administration has taken the onus of performing the last rites (funeral) of people dying due to COVID-19. Protocols and guidelines laid down by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are strictly followed while cremating or burying the dead. 

The last rites of patients are being conducted at Vijayanagar High-tech crematorium, Tipu Circle Khabarastan, Rammanahalli and the burial ground located on Jodi Thenginamara Road at Bannimantap. Two or three relatives of the patients are allowed to perform religious rituals and they are made to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).   

From the time of a person’s death is reported, the dead body is disinfected and neatly packed in prescribed cloth bags and sealed. The bag is not opened at any cost and relatives can see the face of the loved one through a transparent sheet near the body’s head part. Bathing the dead body and post-mortem is not allowed. 

The Jodi Thenginamara Road burial ground is inactive at present as most of the relatives prefer the body to be burnt than buried. In those religions where only burial is allowed, customs are carried out accordingly and the decision of burial or cremation is entirely left to the relatives and officials have no role in it, officials from MCC told Star of Mysore. 

Though there are 38 burial grounds in the MCC limits, only four have been identified to perform the last rites of COVID patients. As soon as any death is reported from any COVID hospital or care centre, dedicated staff of the MCC go there wearing protective equipment and shift the body to the place of last rites. 

Before the body is handed over to the MCC staff, signed consent of the relatives is obtained, If the body is cremated, the ashes are handed over to the relatives the next day so that they can perform rituals including ash immersion at holy places, officials said.