Heaven's 12: TVPM angels defy perils of COVID burial to serve the dead

It was around noon on July 14 Onmanorama contacted Saiju, one of the 12 members of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's Rapid Response Team (RRT) that buries COVID-19 victims and goes around disinfecting virus-affected houses, offices and hospitals.

Saiju seemed willing to talk, as if he had all the time in the world. We asked him some fundamental questions and then inquired whether he could WhatsApp some pictures of the team for our use. He said he would.

We hung up hoping to ask Saiju more questions after looking at the pictures and talking to their handlers in the corporation. In a moment of journalistic vanity, we thought field workers like Saiju could be called up anytime as they would only be too eager to speak about their work to the media.

Genuine VIP

It did not take much time for us to realise that Saiju was only being nice when he had patiently answered our questions. Even 15 minutes after we talked to Saiju, the photos we thought he would WhatsApp in a trice did not arrive.

We called back, nearly indignant that he had not been prompt. Saiju's phone was switched off.

Finally, we got through to a senior health official in charge of Saiju and team. "Sir, he has more urgent things to do than sending you photographs. Just about 10 minutes ago they were told to collect a body from Medical College," said Sujith Sudhakar, a health inspector.

Sudhakar said the only reason why these 12 were picked for the job was their courage and commitment. "Once they are given an assignment, it's absolute focus. They switch off their mobiles and concentrate on what they have to do. It is highly risky, what they are doing. And a huge service," the health inspector said.

Our fleeting sense of superiority just fell off and was crushed.

Stolen moments

We then got to talk to Saiju only late in the night, by around 11 on July 14. By then he sounded sleepy. The team had to bury a COVID victim, Arulappan, at Poonthura cemetery; Arulappan's was the eighth burial the team had carried out after the outbreak.

Besides, they also had to disinfect many homes and public places in the coastal area where COVID-19 cases are multiplying in uncontrollable ways. Next day (Wednesday) we could manage to talk with him for only a few minutes as he was too busy. Disinfection of houses started at 7 am.

The efficiency of the team members was not a COVID-phase revelation. Their self-sacrificing and persevering tendencies were noted even before.

Free public service

All the 12 members of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) were part of the Thumboormuzhi-Model Aerobic Bin project of the corporation, where they segregated household waste and converted it into compost. Simultaneously, they were also part of relief work when Cyclone Ockhi struck the coast in 2017 and also during the 2018 floods.

"So, when we needed men to do some hard risky work like disinfecting and burying the dead during COVID, these were the 12 people we turned to first," Sudhakar said.

And they agreed, even though it meant double or triple the normal working hours and no additional pay.

"It can easily be said these men are doing this work for free. They get Rs 630 a day for a 7 am to 1 pm job. But now their work invariably extends beyond 9 pm and still they get the same pay," Sudhakar said.

Fear of the ghost

The men had some apprehensions only when they were asked to bury the dead. The first burial was that of a Telangana native who accidentally reached the capital in a train, and died two days later on May 28. He was to be buried at Vallakakdavu Mosque.

"It is true that initially we had some fears. But we were given a whole day's training on COVID-19 protocols and how to handle a dead body. But we could get over our fears only because senior officials put on PPE (personal protective equipment) kits and came with us to the burial ground and stood there all through the burial," Saiju said.

Now, the team has done eight burials.

They collect the body from the hospital and carry it to the place of burial. Usually, the pits would have been dug by the time they arrive with the body. On one occasion, for the burial of Fr K G Varghese, they themselves had to dig the pit as locals were apprehensive. They even made a tombstone of mud for the priest, complete with a cross.

Perils of burial

First they sprinkle bleaching powder on the pit and then they lower the body using ropes.

"The tough part is carrying the body to the site. Usually the funeral area would be far away from a motorable road. We have to walk some 400-500 metres before we reach the site. No one is supposed to come near but we have seen people, not family but curious onlookers, getting close to the body. At that time we will not have the energy to tell them to back away," Saiju said.

By then, they would have been within a PPE kit for over an hour. "They would be sweating profusely. They will have to stand in their PPE kits for another two hours. It is unbearably hot inside a PPE kit. By the time they remove the PPE kit, many would be dangerously dehydrated," health inspector Sudhakar said.

The seventh body they carried, that of 67-year-old Saifudeen of Mankyavilakom near Poonthura, was "unbelievably heavy". "Six of us were carrying the body. We had to walk at least 500 metres and the only prayer we had was that we should not let the stretcher down," Saiju said.

Neighbours' pettiness

Disinfecting assignments are even more dangerous as the team members would have to be in their PPE kits for over four hours. Disinfecting a house is emotionally troubling, too.

"The family members will already be in a distraught state and our arrival will draw even more unnecessary attention to their houses. So we will first have to talk to them, get their confidence and ask them to stand out or move to their terraces before we start spraying," Saiju said.

Saiju said the team was always bothered by the rude accusations of neighbours and relatives. "These people make it seem as if getting COVID is some big crime. I had always felt like yelling back at them but I don't as I need to conserve my energy," Saiju said.

Selfless warriors

At 32, Saiju is the youngest member of the team, its spokesperson. The other members are: Jayakumar, Praveen, Dileep, Moideen Adima, Manoj, Anil, Sathi, Ansari, Suresh, Manaf and Muhmmad Abubacker.

Finally, Saiju did Whatsapp some pics of the team at work, and all had the team in PPE kits. We called back suggesting he send us a picture, a groupie, that revealed their faces. He politely refused. "It will not be right to give the impression that we are trying to get some publicity," he said.