A Muslim woman in Telangana lit the pyre of a Hindu after his son refused to perform last rites, saying he had converted to Christianity.

When a son disowned his responsibility of conducting the last rites of his Hindu father, a Muslim woman, Yakub Bi, came forward to perform the rituals of the septuagenarian here on Wednesday.

Keerthi Srinivas (70), an inmate of the Sahrudaya Old Age Home, was living in the institution for two years. The old man had suffered a paralytic stroke and was living on a pavement until Md. Mahboob Ali of Sahrudaya brought him to the old age home.

For the past seven years, he and his wife Yakub Bi have been running the establishment and currently take care of 70 people.

When the septuagenarian breathed his last on Tuesday evening, Yakub Bi, the Home’s caretaker, informed Sharath, son of Mr. Srinivas. But shockingly, the son refused to come and perform the last rites, saying he had converted to Christianity, which his father did not approve. On persistent requests, he agreed to have a last glimpse of his father, still refusing to conduct the last rites.

Ms. Yakub Bi told The Hindu that they were used to conducting the last rites when the inmates died but only when they apparently did not have anyone. “But this is strange as the son refused to perform the last rites. We have vowed to serve the old and infirm and we definitely care for them, when it comes to giving them an honourable farewell from the material world,” she said.

When contacted by The Hindu, Mr. Sharath refused to comment, saying it was a personal issue.

Ms. Yakub Bi and others took the body to the Sivamuktidham burial ground where she lit the pyre as per Hindu customs after going round the body thrice. “We have only one religion and that is serving people. We honour the sentiments of our inmates,” she said.