A trust started by a 24-year-old helps bury unclaimed bodies and takes homeless persons with injuries to government hospitals and shelters

A few weeks ago, Suseela, a 60-year-old homeless woman in Gaudiya Mutt Road, sustained a grievous injury on her head, and as she left it unattended, maggots formed in the wound. Similarly, Jeeva, a 70-year-old homeless man in Tambaram, with injuries on his legs, could not get medical attention. Luckily for them, 24-year-old Khaalid Ahmed came to their rescue during the lockdown. He, along with few other volunteers, cleaned their wounds, took them to nearest government hospitals and later, helped them move to shelters run by the Greater Chennai Corporation.

Khalid Ahmed, a mechanical engineering graduate, runs a trust called Uravugal, which helps bury unclaimed bodies after getting proper police and medical clearance. He has been running this trust since 2017 and has buried more than 800 bodies till date. There are around 500 volunteers working for the trust.

“People, who spot injured or dead homeless people, contact us after seeing our social media page. We immediately rush to the spot and co-ordinate with the respective government departments and render the help needed,” Mr. Ahmed says .

During the lockdown period, his team has not only been treating injuries of homeless persons, but have also been burying the bodies of daily wage earners, who are left without any money due to the curfew, and also of pavement dwellers who have no relatives.

“Since March 24, we have conducted final rites for nine persons. Most of the pavement dwellers manage to get food. But many are concerned about if they will get a proper burial once they die. This prompted me to start the trust,” explains Mr. Ahmed.

Apart from this, he has also helped three patients reach their hometowns. “We have our own ambulance for this purpose. Recently we shifted a pregnant woman to Jipmer, Puducherry,” he adds.

A senior police officer said that it was a very good initiative. “But if they do it in co-ordination with government, it will be more efficient,” he added.