Gestures of grace in wake of crash

Scores of ordinary citizens have helped the authorities in salvaging and moving mangled, charred bodies from the wreckage at the crash site, even when it was still in flames. In a similar display of selflessness, eight Muslim women offered their services to wash charred bodies of women victims recovered from the site who were identified as belonging to their faith.

The bodies were brought to the Zeenath Bhaksh masjid, washed and covered in ‘kafan’ (clean white cloth) before they were handed over to relatives to be taken to their respective places for burial. According to Muslim Central Committee General Secretary Mohammed Haneef, only women should wash the mortal remains of women in their community.

The eight women volunteers rose to the occasion and undertook the task, disregarding the bad condition of the bodies. Similarly, the members of Muslim Central Committee, Kasaigoli Friends, Old Iron Merchants, Faizal Group assisted in washing the male bodies.

After the bodies were washed and dressed in white, namaz was offered at the masjid and the bodies were handed over to the respective families. “By Saturday evening, we had cleaned 33 bodies in the masjid premises and handed them over to the family members. In fact, we were engaged in cleaning the body till 1:30 am on Sunday,” he added.