Pune Woman Buries Unclaimed Bodies Of COVID-19 Patients, Says It's Better To Die 'Fighting Corona'

For the last four months, Sagai Nair has been burying patients who have died from COVID-19 at Salisbury Park Missionary Cemetery in Pune. This corona warrior has been working on the frontline, performing the last rites for many unclaimed bodies, or on behalf of the relatives who are not allowed to go near the infected bodies.

Nair, a volunteer worker, has come forward in the city, offering to conduct the last rites of such victims in her community. So far, she has performed burial rituals for 30 Christians who died due to the outbreak. The good samaritan wears personal protective equipment (PPE) suit, gloves and mask, and to carry the bodies from the ambulance to the cemetery. She also digs up graves to bury the patients, according to a report by the India Times. Nair is also accompanied by other volunteers from NGOs who help her perform the rituals efficiently.

Nair is 47 years old and a mother of a six-year-old daughter. “During the early days of the Covid pandemic, the deceased were cremated, and nobody was taking the initiative to bury the dead. So I said to myself that dying fighting corona is better than dying at the hands of corona. With the help of Mulnivasi Muslim Manch and Christian Charitable trust, I could help the families of the deceased,” Nair told Punekar News.

What You Should Know

• Sagai Nair, a resident of Pune, has been performing last rites of COVID-19 deceased in the city.
• This Christian woman performs burial rituals for the unclaimed bodies.
• She gets help from her husband and some NGO volunteers.

Nair stated that the local pastors are mostly scared to perform the last rites and adding, "I pray for them as the pastors are either scared or unavailable. I pray, I also carry the deceased from the ambulance and bury them respectfully with my own hands.” She is mostly accompanied by her husband and some helpers. “It’s been three months that I have been performing last rituals. Although I have diabetes and hypertension, this doesn’t stop me from this godly work,” she added, as reported by Punekar News.

Sagai Nair (47), #women #covid worker of "#MulNivasiMuslimMunch" organisation in #PPE suits perform last right of a #coronavirus #deadbody at Salisbury Park Missionary #Cemetery amid rising cases of #COVID19India #pandemic in #Pune city @jigneshmistry98> pic.twitter.com/W2ymOOyhOP

— JIGNESH MISTRY (@jigneshmistry98) August 16, 2020

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The number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 is on the rise in Pune with over 870 deaths as of Monday morning. Following the rules charted out by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is entitled to provide volunteers with PPE kits and essentials -- be it for burial or cremation, Pune Mirror reported.