COVID-19: Shortage of slots leads to spike in advance bookings at Delhi’s Muslim graveyards

New Delhi: With an increase in the number of patients dying due to coronavirus in India and the refusal by many Muslim graveyards in Delhi to bury the dead, the hunt for graves is becoming a serious problem for members of the community, prompting many to make advance bookings for graves and even reuse old family graves.

At the historic 35 Acres Mehndiyan cemetery behind Lok Nayak Hospital in central Delhi, the cost for a grave ranges between Rs50,000 (Dh2,456) and Rs100,000.

Mehndiyan graveyard is famous for Shah Waliullah, a famous Muslim religious leader and Islamic scholar whose mortal remains lie buried in his family graveyard next to his father’s. Muslims feel proud to be buried in the same graveyard and hence the rush for advance bookings.

Jadid Qabristan Ahle Islam, another Muslim graveyard situated at Delhi Gate, was declared the city’s first designated burial ground for COVID-19 victims, following news reports that people were refusing to bury and cremate people who had died from the dreaded virus.

At the graveyard, we met 38-year-old Mohammed Shameem, the supervisor of the cemetery. Shameem, who hails from Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, is a third-generation cemetery worker. He lives with his family and elderly parents at the staff quarters inside the graveyard. Shameem told Gulf News that workers at the cemetery declined to bury those who had died from coronavirus. So he took up the job because someone had to do it.

Shameem told Gulf News that out of 45 acres of land, the cemetery had designated two acres for deaths related to coronavirus. At the time of filing this report, Shameem had buried 227 dead bodies related to COVID-19, including some cases that were only suspected to have contracted the virus. Shameem further said that as the fatalities were rising and space for burial was almost full, relatives of patients who were seriously ill were approaching the graveyard to book a spot in advance for burial.

“Before coronavirus struck, some staff members at our graveyard were illegally offering advance bookings. They used to take money from the interested parties and ‘book’ a spot by marking it as a fake grave and keeping it blocked,” Shameem said. He went on to add that even the Gulf News correspondent could book a grave for himself in advance! “All we need is money,” he said.

Shameem, who earns Rs 100 per burial, told Gulf News that in routine cases, graves up to four-feet deep are dug by labourers. However, for coronavirus-related deaths, the grave has to be at least ten-feet deep and dug by a JCB machine. The private JCB operator was charging anywhere between Rs 2,000 to Rs 6000 per burial.

“The kin of an old man, with renal failure and who is currently on ventilator at a Delhi hospital, has approached us to inquire about the advance booking for a grave at the cemetery. The situation is very bad,” Shameem added.

Adil Khan is a freelance writer based in New Delhi.