Social worker to do last rites of man whose family is quarantined
dubai — A Dubai-based social worker has come forward to undertake the last rites of a man who died of Covid-19 on Tuesday, whose family members are in mandatory home quarantine.
Indian social worker Naseer Vatanapally, who recently recovered from the disease, has agreed to complete the last rites of 77-yearold Ramesh Kalidas Pamani as per Hindu customs.
“I have collected the passports from their home, and once the paperwork is complete, the cremation will take place at the Hindu Crematorium in Jebel Ali,” Vatanapally told Khaleej Times.
Long-time Dubai resident Kiran Kumar Ramesh Pamani’s life was turned upside down at 3.30pm on Tuesday when he got a call informing him of his 77-year-old father’s death. Kumar’s father Ramesh Kalidas Pamani had tested positive for Covid-19 on May 14 after he suffered a heart attack on May 11.
“My father had come to visit us in February. On May 11, we admitted him to a Dubai hospital after a stroke and on May 14, we got a call from the hospital informing us that he had tested positive for Covid-19,” he added.
Following this, Kumar, his wife Preeti Pamani and their eightyear-old daughter underwent the test. “Unfortunately, my wife and I tested positive and immediately began our home isolation. Luckily, my daughter was tested negative,” he explained.
“When I was told my father is no more, I was in a state of total distress. There was no one to complete my father’s last rites and I could not even see him one last time,” lamented Kumar.
As the family panicked about what needed to be done next, Preeti’s employer KV Shamsudheen, director of Barjeel Geogit Securities and a prominent social worker, assured the family that Naseer would help them.
“I got a call from Shamsudheen, who put us in touch with Naseer. He called to inform that he would collect all the necessary papers from us. On Tuesday, after Iftar, he came home and collected everything from us in person,” said Kumar.
“I am very grateful for everything the Dubai health authorities have done for my father, and to Naseer who has come forward to help. If not for them, I would not know what to do,” he added.
Vatanapally explained: “Since the outbreak, I have had to help complete the last rites of at least 10 Hindu brothers and sisters who died due to Covid-19. Here in the UAE, we make no distinction based on caste, creed or religion.