Sikh woman cremated by Muslim neighbours in Punjab after family refuses to turn up
A Sikh woman was cremated by her Muslim neighbours in Punjab’s Malerkotla town on Monday after her family members refused to take possession of the body. The woman, identified as Dilpreet Kaur, used to work as a domestic help. She died after falling ill while on a pilgrimage last month.
“We used to call her Rani Aunty.… Her brother and mother live in Canada, while her in-laws’ family lives in Jhunda village of Sangrur district. Both are from well off families,” said Mohammad Aslam, the councillor of ward number 9 under whose area Tubewell basti falls. Aslam said Kaur’s son and daughter refused to attend the cremation when they were informed about her death.…
“All these years, we never came to know about her family’s details. However, it was shocking to listen that her son, as well as daughter, refused to come to her cremation. Last year, her daughter had come to meet her,” he said. The police said Muslim families from the area are also planning to organise a ritual offering at a local gurudwara. “As no one came from her family’s side, Muslims of the area, following all Hindu rituals, cremated her. They spent money on her cremation and will also be organising a bhog at a gurdwara,” said Sub-inspector Nirbhay Singh.…
