Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Pandemic deaths haunt busy New Delhi gravedigger

by French Press Agency - AFP

New Delhi May 18, 2020 - 11:34 am GMT+3
Gravedigger Mohammed Shamim walks back to his home after the burial of a COVID-19 victim in New Delhi, May 13, 2020. (AFP Photo)
Gravedigger Mohammed Shamim walks back to his home after the burial of a COVID-19 victim in New Delhi, May 13, 2020. (AFP Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP May 18, 2020 11:34 am
RECOMMENDED
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes a speech before he was shot from behind by a man in Nara, western Japan, July 8, 2022. (The Asahi Shimbun via Reuters)

Assassination of Shinzo Abe: 2.5 seconds that sealed his fate

Political-Assassinations

Death has never fazed gravedigger Mohammed Shamim, until now. Since the grip of the coronavirus crisis has tightened in New Delhi, a shiver runs up even his spine each time he sees a hearse pull up at the cemetery he tends.


"I've been burying the dead for the last two decades. But until now, I've never been scared for my own life," he said.

The Indian capital has become one of the country's COVID-19 hot spots, with media reports based on graveyard records saying there are 450 dead – triple the official tally.


Shamim says he alone has dug graves for 115 bodies at the cemetery's designated area for the coronavirus dead, about 200 meters (219 yards) away from the others.


Despite the third-generation gravedigger's experience, his family has now started complaining about his job at the Jadid Qabristan Ahle Muslim cemetery, and Shamim has moved his four daughters to his parents' house to reduce the risk of them catching the disease. "They are scared. Sometimes I lie to them that I don't touch the bodies," said the 38-year-old.

Prayers and heartache

Shamim gets a call an hour before the hearse arrives. That is when he becomes nervous. He prepares the relatives, asking them to put on protective suits, gloves and masks for the burial ceremony, before the family says a prayer and lowers the corpse – usually wrapped in cloth or plastic sheeting – into the grave.


The mourners then throw their protective gear into the hole before a mechanical earth-mover fills it in.


Some of the bodies of coronavirus victims arrive without relatives to help with the burial, so Shamim said he has often defied orders to stay away.


"People just refuse to come help with the burial. What can you do? I have to step in," he said, describing "heartbreaking" scenes, like when only a wife and a small child came to the funeral of one man.


At a recent burial, Shamim had to find gloves for a small group who had turned up just with plastic bags for protection. He finally found two pairs and gave one glove each to the four people who were lowering the body.


"I understand it's never easy to bury the dead, but some families don't follow the rules at all. So many times I have had to beg the hospital workers who accompany the body for gloves," Shamim said.


Fear of contagion

The gravedigger has been so worried about the pandemic that he has twice been tested for the coronavirus and paid for one of them himself despite his meager wages. He said he has had help from the cemetery management committee and city authorities, but nothing from the government. "I am way too low for them to bother about."


With the number of victims growing in Delhi and his services in greater demand, Shamim says he worries now if his breathing changes or he has a stomach upset. "I always felt safest around the dead and most vulnerable in the outside world. Now I find it difficult to sleep at night," he said.

RECOMMENDED
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes a speech before he was shot from behind by a man in Nara, western Japan, July 8, 2022. (The Asahi Shimbun via Reuters)

Assassination of Shinzo Abe: 2.5 seconds that sealed his fate

Political-Assassinations
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    coronavirus outbreak burial gravedigger new delhi pandemic
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Percival Lugue, who has the Guinness world record for the largest fast-food toy collection, poses with his toy collection in his home in Apalit, Pampanga province, Philippines, April 20, 2021. (REUTERS Photo)

    Filipino man collects record 200,000 toys from fast-food chains

    TOY-MANIA
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye's 1st domestic heavy-class attack helicopter starts engine

    heavy-class-attack-helicopter

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    In photos: The start of the holy month of Ramadan
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021