Telangana: Denied burial over Covid-19 fear, Muslim man finds place in Hindu graveyard

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HYDERABAD: A Muslim man who died of a heart attack had to be buried in a Hindu graveyard near Hyderabad after mutawallis (caretakers) of six graveyards denied him a final resting place on suspicion that he was a Covid-19 patient. It was two Hindu men from the area, Sandeep and Shekar, who came to the family’s aid and arranged a place to bury the man in a Hindu graveyard.

Mohammed Khaja Miyan (55), who had moved to Gandamguda in Rangareddy district about 10 years ago, had died of cardiac arrest on May 22 at his residence. Narrating the ordeal, family members said Khaja Miyan was refused burial by mutawallis in six graveyards, first citing that they were non-locals and then claiming that Khaja could have died from coronavirus and they did not want to take a chance.

“We made rounds from one graveyard to the other before we eventually gave up hope of giving my dad a proper burial,” said his son Mohammed Basha. “We went to at least six different Muslim graveyards in a hope to get a place for my father,” he added.

On Wednesday, a delegation headed by Mustaq Malik, president of Tahreek Muslim Shabban, met Telangana State Waqf Board (TSWB) chairman Mohammed Saleem and submitted a memorandum, seeking immediate removal and action against the mutawallis who allegedly denied Khaja Miyan a Muslim burial.

“We want the TSWB to take immediate note of the prevailing situation in the city and outskirts in case of anyone’s death amid lockdown,” Malik said.

“The irresponsible caretakers of the Muslim graveyards must be removed and legal action should be initiated against them without any further delay,’’ said Malik.

Amjadullah Khan, spokesperson of Majlis Bachao Tehrik (MBT), also took up the issue with TSWB and sought to set up an immediate helpline for poor families facing a similar ordeal.

TSWB chairman Mohammed Saleem assured the delegation that notices would be served to the mutawallis and legal action would be taken.

Officials said they will also probe allegations that many Muslim families were facing similar issues as mutawallis, fearing the spread of novel coronavirus, have denied burial to some families in the city.

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