Kerala politician performs last rites for abandoned man on Muharram
An Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader performed the last rites of a 64-year-old abandoned man in Kasaragod district on Friday, a day of mourning for Muslims observing Muharram.
Irfana Iqbal, 34, a member of the Kasaragod district panchayat representing the Manjeshwar division, volunteered to carry out the Hindu rites for Narayanan at the public crematorium in Chirugali. Narayanan's body had remained unclaimed at the local morgue for over two days after his family declined to take charge.
Irfana runs an old age home under the Sheikh Zayed Foundation in Manjeshwar, which provides care for 50 abandoned individuals. Narayanan, a native of Meencha panchayat in Kasaragod, was found living alone and sleeping on shop verandas before being taken in by the foundation.
The gesture drew attention because it occurred on Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, during which many Shia and some Sunni Muslims observe mourning rituals. Irfana, a Muslim, performed the last rites for a Hindu man whom she had previously helped through the foundation.
Local officials confirmed that no family members claimed the body, and the panchayat facilitated the cremation with Irfana's assistance. The event has been cited by community leaders as an example of interfaith harmony, though Irfana herself emphasised the importance of compassion over religious identity.
“I see no religion in humanity. When someone is abandoned, it is our duty to ensure they receive a dignified farewell,” she said in a statement to local media.
The Sheikh Zayed Foundation, named after the former UAE president, runs charitable projects in the region, including the old age home where Narayanan had been residing. The foundation’s work focuses on supporting the elderly and destitute regardless of their background.
This incident comes amid ongoing discussions about the care of abandoned elderly persons in Kerala, a state with a growing aging population. Social activists have called for more robust support systems to prevent isolation among the elderly.
