Maharashtra: Sons fight over last rites of converted woman

Thane, November 21

A woman, who had converted to Christianity a few years back, was buried by one of her sons after her death in Maharashtra's Palghar recently, while her another son who followed Hinduism performed her symbolic cremation, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place at Avande village in Wada tehsil of Palghar district two days back as a fallout of the dispute between the deceased woman's two sons, each following Christianity and Hinduism, over the way her last rites should be performed, they said.

"The woman, 65-year-old Fulai Dhabade, died on November 18 night due to old age. She, her husband Mahadu and younger son Sudhan had converted to Christianity a couple of years back, while her elder son Subhash chose to remain a Hindu," police sub-inspector Dilip Pawar said.

"After the woman's death, there was a dispute between the siblings over the way her last rites should be held. An unusual situation arose as each brother insisted that the funeral should be held as per the tradition of the religions they follwed," he said.

Even as a large number of villagers gathered, none of the brothers was ready to back out, Pawar said.

Realising the seriousness of the situation, the 'Police Patil' (a mediator between police authorities and villagers) called up the Wada police station and informed the personnel about it.

"Police officer Sudhir Sankhe rushed to the village and held discussions with the family members and it was decided that the deceased woman should be buried as per the Christian tradition," he said.

Accordingly, the body was buried at Pachu island near Vasai.

"However, the other son was not ready to relent. He held her symbolic cremation by placing a doll on the pyre," Pawar said. PTI