Mumbai: Body count up at Bada Qabristan due to COVID-19

The Bada Qabristan has a task force dedicated to dealing with COVID-19

The Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust-owned Bada Qabristan spread across seven acres of land in Marine Lines - one of the biggest Muslim cemeteries in the country - has recorded double the number of COVID-related burials in April, when compared to all of last month.

A total of 145 bodies have been buried at the cemetery from April 1 up until April 16. Out of this, 67 burials were of COVID-related deaths. This marks a sharp increase in both, the number of total deaths, as well as the COVID-19 body count recorded at the cemetery last month. In March, a total of 134 bodies were buried here, out of which, 29 deaths were COVID-related.

"The number of deaths have been increasing over this past week," said Shoaib Khatib, Chairman of the Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust. "From April 13 up until now (April 17), a total of 50 bodies have been buried at the qabristan. Out of this, the total number of COVID-related burials that took place is 24. COVID-related deaths are now accounting for more than 50 per cent of the burials taking place at Bada Qabristan."

According to Khatib, the Bada Qabristan is one of the only Muslim cemeteries in the MMR region that is allowed to carry out burials of bodies of those who live outside the region. "Bada Qabristan is the only option for these people. We have more space and more helpers. There is also an entire COVID-19 task force dedicated to this effort. It takes us no more than 15 minutes to release the ambulance and to carry out the burial process after we receive the body."