Real Kerala story: Muslim leader honours Hindu woman's last wish

Earlier, Safeer had performed last rites of three women inmates of the rehabilitation centre as they didn't have any relatives. Two of them were Hindu and one was from the Muslim community.

Thiruvananthapuram: In yet another instance of communal harmony in Kerala, a local Congress leader hailing from Muslim community has fulfilled the last wish of a woman to perform her last rites as per Hindu rituals.

T Safeer, ward member of Chittaumukki in Kadinamkulam panchayat on the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram, is being widely appreciated for the noble gesture which is not new for him.

Rakhi (44), was an inmate of the Benedict Menni rehabilitation centre at Menamkulam. She was mentally ill and couldn't recollect her family roots though it is believed that she is from Chhattisgarh.

As she was suffering from other illness too, she expressed her wish to the nuns running the rehabilitation centre that she wanted her last rites to be done as per Hindu rituals.

After Rakhi died last week, Safeer, who is the local ward member, visited the rehabilitation centre. He immediately volunteered to fulfill Rakhi's last wish.

"I don't see religion as a barrier in humanity. There is no bar on any person to perform the last rites of another person, irrespective of the religion they hail from," Safeer told DH.

Earlier, he had performed last rites of three women inmates of the rehabilitation centre as they didn't have any relatives. Two of them were Hindu and one was from the Muslim community.

After some of his friends posted the videos and photos of Safeer performing the last rites on social media, it went viral and since then, he is being widely appreciated for his efforts.