Mangaluru village residents protest against Covid19 victim's funeral over virus fears

Mangaluru: The funeral of a 75-year-old woman, who died of COVID-19, was held amid opposition from local people in Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, police said on Friday.

The final rites of the woman from Kasba village were held at the Hindu Rudrabhoomi at Kaikunje near Bantwal town, about 30 kms from Mangaluru, on Thursday night under strict police protection, even as local people who feared risk to their health raised protests, they said.

The funeral was held as per the protocol for COVID-19 deaths, police said.

The authorities had earlier decided to hold the cremation at Pachanady, but changed their plans after stiff opposition from the local residents there.

Local MLA Bharath Y Shetty denied reports that he had objected to the cremation at Pachanady.

There will not be any danger to the local people if COVID-19 victims are cremated in their places, he said in a post on social media.

Such protests due to misconception about the spread of coronavirus had been witnessed in some other parts of the country, including in Chennai, and the governments have warned of action against those opposing cremation or burial of COVID-19 patients.