KURNOOL: Kurnool MLA MA Hafeez Khan has set an example by carrying the body of a COVID-19 victim and performing the last rites. Wearing PPE suits, the MLA, along with his supporters, shifted the body of the coronavirus victim in an ambulance and buried it near summer storage tank located on the city outskirts on Friday evening. The MLA's gesture went viral on social media on Saturday.
Later, speaking to the media at his residence here on Saturday, the MLA said that through his act he wanted to send the message to people not to show any discrimination towards coronavirus victims. He appealed to people to follow COVID-19 protocols and not to panic that they may contract the virus.
He said that the Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to take the complete responsibility of performing the last rites of the Covid-19 victims. “A team of officials from KMC will visit the hospital and perform the last rites of the Covid-19 victims at 4 pm every day. We have identified three separate burial grounds for Hindus, Muslims and Christians for peforming last rites,” said Hafeez Khan.
He said that the entire expenditure for transportation of bodies for cremation will be borne by the municipal corporation. "The final rites will be performed as per the religious traditions of the COVID-19 victim. It has also been decided to allow at least five of the family members to be present during the funeral," he added.
Meanwhile, with 201 deaths, including six, on Saturday, the district has the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in the State. It was followed by East Godavari (172), Krishna (164) and Guntur (141). As many as 1,234 coronavirus cases were reported in the district in the last 24 hours, taking the count to 18,081.
With the discharge of 9,294 patients so far, the district has 8,586 active cases now.