– Shabana Javed
Kolkata, Feb. 14: Manzil-e-Sukoon, a mortuary for Muslim dead bodies, was inaugurated at Gobra graveyard here. It was built by Anjuman Mufidul Islam (AMI), a social welfare organization. Besides the preservation of Muslim bodies, a special arrangement has been made for burial of bereft Muslim bodies in two blocks of Gobra Muslim Cemetery.
Despite having a large Muslim population in Bengal, there was no provision for keeping Muslim bodies. AMI had been demanding the government to provide space for it for several years. After the Kolkata Municipal Corporation provided space, the first Muslim mortuary was inaugurated here.
State Minister Firhad Hakim said there are many Muslim families in the city, whose relatives are living in foreign countries. In case a Muslim dies, the body can be kept here so that his/her relatives can reach here for burial.
Manjil-e-Sukoon and Mitti Manzil for the burial of bereft Muslim bodies were officially inaugurated by Firhad Hakim.
Many people, including state ministers, scholars, social workers attended this inaugural program. AMI President Amiruddin Boby said that six freezer boxes of advanced quality have been purchased to store bodies. For only Rs.500, a body can be preserved every 24 hours, maximum for up to 3 days. If it is more than 12 to 24 hours, a special injection be administered so that the body doesn’t get black. Its price is Rs.1500. However, this injection will be available within Rs.1300 under the initiative of Islamia Hospital.
Amiruddin also said the place of shrouding the bereft Muslim body is also air-conditioned.
Another sophisticated machine is being purchased. It can keep a body for up to a month.
