Karnataka Man, 60, Dies In Containment Zone. Neighbours Organise Funeral

The funeral of a 60-year-old man who died in Karnataka's Tumkur, about 70 km away from state capital Bengaluru, was arranged by some neighbours on Tuesday after his family members could not come because the house is in a locality that has been sealed for two weeks to check the spread of coronavirus.

HS Narayan Rao died at his home in KBH Colony, mostly inhabited by people from the Muslim community, reportedly due to a cardiac arrest.

When his relatives could not come, his wife and three children were helped by around 10 youth from the neighbourhood as they performed the last rites.

"We called the local corporator - Nayaz Ahmad - who was outside the sealed area. He sent us an ambulance to take the body to the crematorium for the last rites," said Khalid, one of the locals who took the body to the crematorium with the help of his other friends.

Strict containment measures have been in place in KBH Colony to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus after four COVID-19 positive cases were traced. Two of the patients died due to the illness; other two are recovering.

The nationwide shutdown over the pandemic restricts the gathering at a funeral to 20 people.

Karnataka has reported about 900 coronavirus cases , 31 deaths linked to COVID-19 as India's tally surged to 74,200 cases this morning. More than 2,000 have died due to COVID-19 so far.

The lockdown to tackle the pandemic began on March 25, it was extended to May 17 earlier this month.