When the nationwide lockdown was imposed from March 24, 2020 in the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Maharashtra government issued a directive for funeral of dead bodies. The circular mandated that all bodies of those who died due to Covid-19 would be cremated rather than buried, to prevent the virus from spreading. The guidelines were clear: traditional burial practices, especially those involving wrapping bodies in plastic bags before interment, could slow decomposition and increase the risk of future infections.

When the first Covid-19-related death occurred in Malvani area of Malad in Mumbai, where a taxi driver from the Muslim community succumbed to the virus, the government’s decision to cremate the body stirred a storm of controversy. In the Muslim community, burial is the customary practice, and this decree was seen as a direct challenge to their faith and traditions.

Later the government revised its policy, allocating seven graveyards for the Muslim community. However, new hurdles arose. “The challenge wasn’t the availability of burial sites, but who would conduct the burials,” recalls Iqbal Mamdani, trustee, Mamdani Health and Education Trust, an organisation that has since conducted over 7,000 funerals of unclaimed bodies since the onset of the pandemic.

A new initiative in a time of crisis
However, after a conversation with his friend, advocate Irfan Shaikh, who had plans to initiate a similar effort, Mamdani felt compelled to collaborate and step back from his journalism work. This partnership marked the beginning of a sustained volunteer-driven effort to focus on this pressing need.

The challenges were manifold. The pandemic had created a scenario where most private ambulances were not operating due to the fear of infection, and the few that were available were overwhelmed. Meanwhile, government hospitals had limited ambulance fleets, and their staff was understandably cautious about handling Covid-19 victims.

Secondly, the government had allotted only a limited number of crematoriums and graveyards within the vicinity of 3-4 kms of hospitals for cremations and burials and most government and private hospitals are located in mainly in south Mumbai.

“The situation was dire,” says Mamdani. “Even with the limited number of ambulances available, the wait times for cremation or burial had become unbearable. It would take up to 10-16 hours for the bodies to be processed at crematoriums, especially with traditional wood-burning crematoriums closed. Only gas and electric crematoriums were functional, but these were far fewer in number."

The struggle to serve the deceased
In the face of these challenges, Mamdani and his team found a creative solution. They reached out to their network of friends, who owned ambulances but were not using them during the lockdown. With the support of Mumbai Police inspector Azam Patel (who later tragically succumbed to Covid-19), they managed to secure and repair five ambulances. These ambulances were then dispatched across the city, helping to transport bodies to both crematoriums and graveyards, free of charge.

“One ambulance was assigned to Worli area, another to Millat Nagar in Andheri, and a third was stationed in the Bakar Kasai Jamaat Khana area of Bandra. Our team of volunteers worked tirelessly across Mumbai – from Churchgate to Palghar, from CST to Kalyan – making sure every body was given a dignified burial or cremation,” says Mamdani.

Initially, the volunteers were afraid. Many were uncertain about the risks of handling bodies in the midst of a pandemic. "In the beginning, even our friends were terrified. They thought they would contract the virus and die," Mamdani recalls. However, as the pandemic progressed and the team saw the overwhelming need, they pressed on, guided by their sense of duty.

Bridging the religious divide in times of crisis
The most poignant moment came when Mamdani's team encountered unclaimed bodies from both the Muslim and Hindu communities. “At one point, while waiting at Cooper Hospital in May 2020, we saw dead bodies stacked in body bags, unclaimed and abandoned,” Mamdani remembers. "Though our original focus was on Muslim burials, we were told that there were Hindu bodies as well, lying unclaimed. We decided to help, but we wanted to avoid any controversy."

The team sought permission from the hospitals, and after assurances from authorities, they began performing last rites for the bodies of Hindus as well. “With the help of crematorium staff, our volunteers performed proper rituals for Hindu funerals, and we did everything with respect. Our Muslim volunteers assisted in performing Agni, the ritual of lighting the fire, while Hindu volunteers participated in the rites at the crematorium,” says Mamdani.

As the pandemic continued, Mamdani’s Trust became increasingly involved in the management of unclaimed bodies. "During the second wave of Covid-19, when oxygen was in short supply, we raised funds to buy 400 oxygen cylinders for those in need," Mamdani explains. “But as we worked, we realized that there were many unclaimed dead bodies lying with the police. We were told that funerals of these dead bodies were done by the police. We sought official permission from the then joint commissioner of police (law and order), Vishwas Nangre Patil, for the funeral of unclaimed dead bodies. Post investigation, an authority letter was issued in May 2021 where the police would claim the body and accompany it to the crematorium or the graveyard till the completion of funeral and take with it the original documents,” he says.

Later, in January 2022, Mamdani also received a similar authority letter from the Government Railway Police (GRP) for conducting the last rites of the unclaimed dead bodies found within railways jurisdiction.

The pandemic slowly fades, but the kind of work they do continues to remain in demand. The Trust now handles funerals of 100 to 125 unclaimed bodies every month. The deceased are of different religious backgrounds, with 85% being from the Hindu community, and 15% from Muslim, Christian, and Sikh communities. The team of 12 staff members and volunteers ensures that each body receives the appropriate last rites based on the deceased's religion.

Asked how bodies are identified by religion, Mamdani explains that the initial information often includes the presumed cause of death and the deceased's religion. However, the team conducts thorough verification. For men, they check for circumcision, a key identifier for Muslims, as non-Muslims typically do not undergo the procedure. If the religion is misreported, they work with authorities to correct it. For women, they rely on police-provided information without additional verification. The Trust receives significantly fewer female bodies compared to male ones.

A legacy of compassion and service
For Mamdani, the most fulfilling aspect of his work is knowing that he and his team are, in a sense, the “family” of those who die alone in the city. "Mumbai is a melting pot. People come here to work, sometimes without any family nearby. Many of them don’t have enough money to even buy a mobile phone, let alone send money for their last rites. Often the police step in to fund the travel expenses of families who need to claim their dead,” he says.

Mamdani and his team are now looking to sustain their efforts by seeking funding through CSR initiatives and crowd-funding. "We’ve been able to do this work with the help of donations or our own funds, but we need continued support to keep going,” he says.

For more information or to donate, visit www.mamdanihealthandeducationtrust.com or contact 9892085232.