Former minister and MangaluruMLA U T Khader on Friday criticised the action of Bharath Y Shetty, also an MLA, who reportedly backed the protest by locals against the cremation of the second COVID-19 victim in their area.Talking to reporters, Khader said instead of joining the protest, Shetty should have cleared the doubts in the minds of locals regarding the cremation.Shetty had reportedly joined the protest staged by locals against the funeral at the crematorium at Kaikunje near Bantwal town. However, the MLA later denied he took part in the protest.Meanwhile, the Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh, in a press release, said the COVID-19 victims would be buried as per their religious customs. There is no chance of anyone getting infected from a corpse, she said.The protocol for funeral of COVID-19 victims would be followed and not more than 20 people would be allowed to perform the last rites. Even closest relatives of the deceased would not be allowed to touch or bathe the body, the release said.The funeral of a 75-year-old woman, who died of COVID- 19, was held amid opposition from local people in Dakshina Kannada district, police said.The final rites of the woman from Kasba village were held at the Hindu Rudrabhoomi at Kaikunje near Bantwal town, about 30 km from here, 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.
