After people reuse to ferry body, police officers and home guard carry it on their shoulders

MANGALURU: When the people of a village refused to help a man ferry the body of his 80-year-old father who suffered an accidental death, two police officers and a home guard reposed faith in humanity by lending a helping hand.

The officers, along with the son of the deceased, carried the abandoned body on their shoulders to his house in Gulgodi village in Koila of Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday.

Asalappa, an 80-year-old man, collapsed on a hilly road while he was walking from Jambadahalli. Though several people saw Asalappa collapse and breathe his last, they did not touch the body as they were caught in a fix between humanity and their belief.

The locals of Koila have organised a Nema festival, (a ritual offered to local deities in Tulunadu ) on Sunday and touching a body during Nema is considered ‘sootaka’. Sootaka is a custom which prevents devotees from entering the temple or daivasthana premises if they contact a body in any form or when someone from their family dies. The family members of the person touching the body will also be barred from entering religious places.

B R Ravikanthegowda, Superintendent of Police, Dakshina Kannada, told TOI that when Asalappa’s son got to know about his father's death, he cried for help, but none, including the closest of relatives came to help.

“Asalappa’s house is located atop a hill. It was next to impossible for his son to carry the body to the house. Though he cried for help, nobody came to the rescue. This is when the police pitched in,” he said.

On learning about the incident, police sub-inspector Prakash, assistant sub-inspector Ravi and a home guard Sandesh rushed to the spot and carried the body on their shoulders to Asalappa’s house ,” the SP said.

