Chennai: Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today reached out to the family of Dr Simon Hercules over phone and expressed condolence. He requested her to stay strong considering the future of her son and daughter.
Following the violence and a hurried burial of Dr Simon Hercules (55), who died of coronavirus earlier this week, in Velangadu public cemetery, his wife Anandi Simon had made an appeal to Palaniswami asking for reburial.
She had placed a request to bury his body as per customs at Kilpauk Cemetry which was Dr Simonâs last wish. A neurosurgeon, Dr Simon was the managing director of a hospital in Chennai.
In a video posted on Facebook, Anandi breaks down while asking the Chief Minister to consider her request.
Dr Simon passed away at a private hospital in Vanagaram on 19 April.”While Simon was in the hospital ventilator, he had said over a video call that if he does not come back home, he must be buried as per customs at Kilpauk Cemetry. This was his last wish”, Anandi says.
In a bid to ensure that those who die due to coronavirus have a decent burial, the Tamilnadu government has formed a special committee of officials from various departments.
“A Committee comprising police and revenue officials, health inspectors and Municpal authorities were formed to ensure a decent burial who die of coronavirus,” sources said.