Discrimination doesn’t deter them from their duty, say mortuary marshals

Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, April 30

Despite facing discrimination from others, mortuary marshals—who have to shift bodies of patients who died of coronavirus from isolation ward to cremation ground—believe their work as a service to the society than a mere duty.

Bharpur Singh, 36, a mortuary marshal, said the moment he donned the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to shift the body, he always felt the uniform is meant to serve the society.

He said that despite high-risk of infection of the coronavirus, they had to touch the body while everyone else, including family members, refused.

He said, “We also fear getting infected with the virus, but we take this job as a noble cause in the wake of the pandemic. Sometimes, family members fear to get close. But we do our job of handling the bodies as if they are our family members.”

Another marshal, Baljinder Singh said their only demand was to get them regularised.

He said that they (marshals) were working as ancillary staff before the COVID-19 duty of handling bodies.

“Least, the government can do for us is to regularise us at the earliest,” he added.

Finally, mortuary marshals said they took pride in the duty they were performing and would continue without any hesitation.

One of the marshals said, “In this unprecedented time, we will continue our duty. We don’t care if we get infected while serving for society.”

Face discrimination

Coronavirus seems to have given a rise to new type of “untouchability” in the society because all the front line workers – including mortuary marshals – have continuously been facing a social boycott.

Marshals informed that sometimes people asked them to stay away because they could spread the virus.

Recalling an incident, one of the marshals said, “My colleague did not allow me to have tea at a stall because I had, directly, come from my duty.”

In the meanwhile, Dr Diwan Bhullar, nodal officer of shifting the bodies, said, “These are young brave marshals who are working hard. They have not raised any issue with me, however, I will look into the matter—if there is any.”