Police, home guard carry 80-year-old's dead body after villagers refuse help

Eighty-year-old Asalappa breathed his last while walking on a hilly road from near Mangalore in Karnataka. Many people around the area saw Asalappa but no one came for help. Even after he died, his son kept crying for help, but no one, not even his close relatives extended any help.

The reason for staying away from the body was a ritual for the local deities in Tulunadu. The locals of Koila had organised a Nema festival and as per customs, touching a body during Nema is regarded to be 'sootaka'. As per the custom, devotees are not allowed to enter the temple or daivasthana if they touch a body or even if someone in the family dies. 

Caught in a fix, the bystanders and well as the family members of Asalappa refrained from touching his mortal remains. 

His son could not carry his father's body alone as their house was located atop a hill. Seeing the son helpless, the police pitched in. Police sub-inspector Prakash, assistant sub-inspector Ravi and a home guard Sandesh reached the spot and carried Asalappa's body on their shoulders to his house, the Times of India reported.

Social media users hailed the police officers for pitching in for help.