Hyderabad: Five Muslim men held the last rites of a Hindu man after neighbours banned the family to bring the body home at Khairatabad fearing it to be coronavirus death.

Venu Mudiraj (50), a resident of Khairatabad died due to tuberculosis on April 16 at Osmania General Hospital (OGH). When the family are making the arrangements to bring the body home on the next day, their neighbours objected the family to do it and also refused help alleging that he might have died due to coronavirus.

The deceased brother Vinod said that Venu was suffering from tuberculosis and his condition deteriorated during the lockdown. After his death, there was no one except his children to make the arrangements as Venu's wife died a few years ago.

As the neighbours also did not come to help the children, a social worker Sadeq bin salam came forward to hold the last rites along with his four friends Mohammad Majid, Abdul Muqtadir, Mohammad Ahmed and Shaik Khasim sought permission from cops.

Due to the lockdown, only 10 persons were allowed to attend the last rites including Venu's children. The rituals were held as per Hindu tradition with son liting the pyre.