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Islamic cemeteries urged not to accept bodies of terrorists
An Islamic organisation has urged Islamic cemeteries across the city not to allow the burial of the nine suspected terrorists killed in last week's anti-terror operations.
- By Pamela Raghunath, Correspondent
- Published: 00:41 December 2, 2008
- People offer flower petals during a condolence meeting organised by the Railway Union at Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station in Mumbai.
- Image Credit: EPA
Mumbai: An Islamic organisation has urged Islamic cemeteries across the city not to allow the burial of the nine suspected terrorists killed in last week's anti-terror operations.
With the bodies of terrorists being kept at the mortuaries in South Mumbai hospitals, the most likely cemetery to be used for burial would be the Marines Lines Bada Qabrastan.
"Around a dozen Muslim cemeteries in Mumbai - including in Mazgaon, Worli, Wadala, Bandra, and Deonar - are also in unison with our decision," Sarfraz Arzoo, secretary, Muslim Council, told Gulf News.
"We are all united on this demand since we believe that the acts of the terrorists were totally unIslamic. According to Islam, even at times of war, there has to be a responsible response. Leave alone innocent people, the religion says that even standing crops must not be destroyed."
The Council, a registered trust, has the support of its members that its decision is the "right thing to do".
The demand had been made to R.R. Patil, who later resigned as deputy chief minister. "This demand will now go to higher-ups in the government and that would be good," he says.
"The government can bury the terrorists in the municipal cemetery or send them to Pakistan. Of course, that country is never going to accept the bodies."
As a matter of routine, all unclaimed bodies, once established that they are Muslims, are sent to the closest Muslim cemetery where funds from philanthropic persons are used for the last rites.
Meanwhile, a member of the Ulema Council, Maulana Aijaz Kashmiri, told this paper that "first of all it has to be proved they are Muslims. This is because we have heard on some of the TV channels that the terrorists spoke Marathi. Can a Pakistani or Afghan speak Marathi?"
He, however, does feel that if the terrorists are found to be Muslims they should not be buried in any of the Muslim cemeteries.
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