Mother dies from coronavirus in Punjab; son refuses to cremate

Family members of a Ludhiana woman, who died due to coronavirus, refused to accept her body and cremate it.  The woman's son also refused to perform the last rites despite authorities assuring him that they would shield him against the infection. Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Iqbal Singh Sandhu said he told the woman's son that he will be provided requisite protective gear for cremation, but he disagreed.

Thereafter, the district administration performed the last rites. And, the family members watched the cremation from a distance of over 100 metres.

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"It was a big shock for everybody when relatives including, son of the deceased, did not come to claim her body. The body was later claimed by the district administration," said Sandhu. He added the administrative authorities approached family members twice but no one came to claim the body.

The 69-year-old deceased was from Shimlapuri village in Ludhiana. She was admitted to a private hospital on March 31. She died on April 5. The incident comes close on the heels of Amritsar's Verka village residents, refusing to allow the cremation of former ''Hazuri Raagi'' Nirmal Singh Khalsa, who died of COVID-19, in his native village cremation ground.

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