M Rafi Ahmed
At a time when the Tamil Nadu DGP and City Police Commissioner took the lead at the Pongal celebrations organised by the Greater Chennai City Police at St Thomas Mount Armed Reserve grounds in the metro city yesterday, the Coimbatore headquartered Jeeva Shanthy Trust (JST), a non-profit ISO certified organisation engaged in giving a decent burial to unclaimed bodies celebrated Pongal with Gudalur sub-division police personnel.
The JST members led by M Mohamad Ashick, recipient of Tamil Nadu Government’s State Youth Award from Chief Minister M K Stalin in 2022 organised for the Pongal fete along with the cops serving across different police stations under Gudalur sub-division. DSP Selvaraj presided over the event with Inspector of Police Shahul Hameed and Traffic sub-inspector Raj Kumar taking part at the celebrations. It may be noted that the Nilgiris district police utilised the voluntary services of JST members in burying unclaimed bodies.
Jeeva Shanthy Trust founder Mohammed Saleem said that so far they have given a dignified burial to 11,895 nameless souls for the past one and a half decade since its inception and added that around 125 unclaimed bodies in the Nilgiris comprising Mettupalayam, Ooty and Gudalur were buried so far. Celebrating Pongal with the police personnel is a token for police-public friendship.
Giving the dead a decent farewell, is what the Jeeva Shanthy Trust members are upto since they are always at the beck and call of the police when an unclaimed body is identified. They serve on the principle of ‘Service to Humanity is Service to God’. It’s gratifying to note that several police constables including women personnel join the JST team in this noble initiative.
In fact, the role of JST members during COVID pandemic is noteworthy as their selfless services needs special mention. JST besides giving decent burial to the dead is actively involved in feeding the needy and providing medical assistance to those left uncared for and languishing on roadsides. In a step further, they also offer ambulance service free of cost to the economically poor.
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