INDORE: The relatives of a dead man, who was born Hindu and converted to Islam after marriage, wrangled over his final rites for over 10 hours at a morgue in Indore, before the local administration and police negotiated an agreement.
Salim Khan, 48, who was born Prakash Malviya in Dewas, died in an Indore hospital on Sunday night. As his daughter Rani Sheikh waited for the release of his body, Salim’s mother and sister arrived to seek custody as well.
“While the man’s mother, Soram Bai, wanted him to be cremated as per Vedic rituals, his wife Harun Bi and daughter Rani Sheikh wanted him to be buried under Islamic customs,” tehsildar Rajesh Soni told TOI.
“Rani Sheikh said he had converted to Islam after marrying her mother around 15-years ago. She also presented his Aadhaar card and voter ID where his name is Salim Khan,” the tehsildar said. Administrative officials talked to the man’s relatives and settled the debate by sending the body to his paternal home for an hour for Hindu rituals and then burial as per Islamic customs.
