New Delhi: The last time Lt Col Vishal Sharma and his team of three military personnel caught six hours of sleep was on 18 April.
The officer from the Army Air Defence Corps and his team, which is in-charge of the Brar Square cremation ground in the Delhi cantonment, have since been working round the clock to ensure last rites to veterans and dependents succumbing to the deadly second wave of Covid-19.
The Brar Square crematorium caters to the personnel of the Army, Air Force and the Navy.
Such has been the rush here that from its capacity of four pyres until 19 April, the ground now has 15 cremation spots. This is being further raised to 20.
But even this is not enough. Lt Col Sharma has had to coordinate even with civil crematoriums to cater to the extra rush.
“We soldiers stay strong and are trained to not break emotionally. But this time it is troubling to see so many succumbing to the virus. We are trying to ensure that at least the final rites of the members of our military family pass off peacefully,” Lt Col Sharma told ThePrint.
The last two weeks were physically demanding and emotionally draining, he said.
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‘This time is very different’
Appointed as the Staff Officer (Administration), Headquarter, Delhi Area in October 2019, the officer handles the Brar Square crematorium.
Last year, he was involved in setting up of the quarantine facility of the Army in Manesar to cater to incoming passengers from Wuhan and the United Kingdom.
“Last time, there were not many casualties. However, this time it is very different. Casualties are mainly veterans with co-morbidities and dependents besides few serving soldiers,” he said.
For Lt Col Sharma and his team, the task does not mean just carrying out cremation but also coordinating with hospitals for release of body, transport and even liasoning with police in case the body is coming in from the National Capital Region and beyond.
To cater to the rising demands, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant Gen Vijay Kumar Mishra, has ordered hiring of civilian staff and more hearse vehicles.
ThePrint reported last month that the Army has set up a special cell in the Delhi cantonment to provide “decent last rites” to members of its own family.
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5:30 am start, 3 am finish
Lt Col Sharma said his day begins at about 5:30 in the morning as families come to take away the remains because the bodies burn for about 15-16 hours.
“I am usually on calls till about 2:30 in the night as various people call to help with not just cremation but also movement of remains. I had this case of a veteran dying and his entire family being down with Covid. We had to arrange vehicles and men to bring his body and cremate while his son watched the proceedings from the US on video,” he said.
Another moving case was when the wife of a serving soldier brought his body from Palwal to the Brar Square without any intimation. The soldier had died due to Covid.
“The team ensured that all help was extended and there was a ceremonial wreath-laying also. There was certain other help that was needed and I called up my GOC to seek permission and he said I had the full freedom to take a decision as deemed fit and he will sign it off,” Lt Col Sharma said.
Besides the civilian staff hired, there is a military team for ceremonial wreath-laying when the body is that of a serving soldier or veteran.
‘First come first serve’ only
Asked if he gets calls from senior serving and retired officers to rush particular cases, he said everyone is aware that it is a ‘first come first serve’ basis.
“It does not matter if the veteran is a three star officer or an NCO. The military has its own culture and everyone is aware,” he said.
Asked about non-Hindu cases, he said his team liaisons with the families for all formalities and movement of body to their choice of burial ground.
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