Amid the objections and protests that have been carried out by the local people in Tamil Nadu against the burial of the COVID-19 victims based on the rumors that the burial would have a rampant spread of the virus, DMDK Chief and veteran Actor Vijayakanth had set out an exception and offered a piece of land to bury the victims claimed by the virus. 

In a statement that was issued on Monday, exactly a day after local residents in Chennai denied the burial of the deceased doctor who died due to the virus, DMDK Chief Vijayakanth has offered a piece of land in his Andal Azhagar Engineering College in Mamandur, Tiruvannamalai district, to bury the COVID-19 victims. He stated that he was pained to learn the reports of people attacking and protesting against the burial of the doctor. 

He mentioned that "If the doctors are getting treated this way, we have to think about the common people. The people are objecting to the burial despite the state government and the World Health Organization have clarified that the virus won't spread from the deceased person. If locals are denying the burial of the victims, I offer a piece of land to bury the body at Andal Azhagar Engineering College".

The recent incident that happened in Chennai had exemplified how the space for rumors would remove the space for humanity. On Sunday, a 55-year-old Chennai based doctor had succumbed to the virus becoming the first doctor to die due to the pandemic in the state. The family members had decided to bury the body and proceeded to the burial ground in TB Chatram in Kilpauk. However, the locals, who were told by the civic workers about the burial, had gathered in the burial ground and objected the burial by lighting up the rumor. 

The group of 50-60 people had started to beat the family members, friends, and corporation officials who accompanied the body. The rioters had damaged the ambulance and harmed the drivers and the officials making them flee the spot. Nearly two hours of struggle, the deceased body was buried with the help of the doctors and a police inspector at around 11 pm on Sunday. The doctors who buried the deceased asked ''Is this the fate of doctors who die of Coronavirus?'.

They further stated that the deceased was the Managing director of the hospital, a philanthropist, and who had put humanity first. He didn't deserve this end. According to the reports, the Anna Nagar police department had arrested 20 persons, including a woman, for rioting and protesting against the burial of the doctor and they have been booked under sections 332 - voluntarily causing hurt, 307- Attempting to murder, 147 - rioting, 148- rioting with a deadly weapon. They have been remanded in judicial custody.

Also read: How humanity stayed off from the last rites of the deceased doctor in Chennai?