Amid stories of conmen cashing in on the misery and tragedy brought about by the pandemic, there are an equal number of instances of people reaching out to help strangers. Their acts of kindness and empathy shine light in these dark times.
Seven students and alumni of St. Joseph’s College in Bengaluru have taken it upon themselves to give a dignified farewell to victims of COVID-19. Over the last month and a half, they have buried more than 170 people at the Christian Cemetery.
S. Arun Kumar, a final year undergraduate student of the college said that he and his friends had been involved in outreach programmes since March 2020, including distributing foodgrains. “But we learnt that the challenge during the second wave was families struggling to give their deceased loved ones a dignified farewell. So we decided to rise to the occasion and work at cemeteries,” he said.
In the mornings they help distribute food and masks. “In the afternoons and evenings, we bury the bodies. It has been extremely depressing to see dead bodies of people in their 20s and 30s,” he said.
Nelson, an alumnus of the college who is a part of the team, said, “Every time I bury a person, a part of me dies.” The others friends involved in the initiative are Tejhashwin, Yashwanth J., Kevin Lloyd, Rohit Rajeev, and Jerry Jockin.
Although they take all the necessary precautions, their work weighs heavily on them. When they return home, they isolate themselves and ensure that their parents and family members in the house are not at risk.
D. Kiran Jeevan, Public Relations Officer of the college, said, “The selfless act of these boys shows great hope for the future. Not only did they bury people, they used this opportunity to spread a message of hope and care to all the people,” he said.
