A touching act of communal harmony unfolded in Thiruvananthapuram as Safir, a Muslim and panchayat member, performed the last rites of a 44-year-old Hindu woman, Raghi from Chhattisgarh, who died of cancer at the Benedict Menni Psycho-Social Rehabilitation Centre.
The woman, who was under treatment and had no memory of her relatives or native place, had expressed a final wish that her funeral be conducted according to Hindu customs. After her death on Friday, the nuns managing the centre approached Safir, who stepped in to fulfill her request.
Safir lit the funeral pyre in her place, saying, “When someone expresses their last wish, it is our duty to respect it. My religion does not stop me from doing what is right.” He also noted that the local imam appreciated his gesture.
This was not the first time Safir took such an initiative—he had also performed the last rites of a Hindu man two weeks ago. Social media users across Kerala have since praised him, calling him “The Real Kerala Story.”
