Their last journeys: Ambulance driver Jameel Ahmed in Srinagar - by Masrat Zahra

Ambulance driver Jameel Ahmad responds to an emergency call at night to ferry the remains of a COVID-19 victim from the hospital.

In this picture, Ahmad is outside the mortuary of Srinagar's premier government hospital in Soura and putting on a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suit.

Clad in a Personal Protective Equipment suit outside Srinagar's Soura hospital, Jameel Ahmad calls the security guard of the mortuary to open its gate.

Once inside the premises, Ahmad will load the body onto the ambulance for its last journey.

Jameel Ahmad clasps his cell phone while waiting outside a mortuary in Srinagar.

Ever since the onset of COVID-19 in Kashmir, Ahmad's phone has never remained switched off - it's his only way to know about his next assignment.

Clad in Personal Protective Equipment outside Srinagar's Soura hospital, Jameel Ahmad waits in his vehicle until the security guards open the gates of the mortuary.

As winter has set in Kashmir, the temperature has often slipped below zero, the nights particularly colder than days.

Ahmad walks in the aisle of the mortuary of a government hospital in Srinagar to collect a COVID-19 victim's body.

With hospital staff wary of getting infected by the virus, Ahmad is mostly alone when it comes to loading the remains of victims into his ambulance.

Relatives of a COVID-19 victim look on while Ahmad pushes the body-laden stretcher towards the ambulance outside a hospital in Srinagar.

Once the body is loaded in the ambulance, Ahmad begins a lone journey towards the victim's graveyard for final rites.

After loading a COVID-19 victim's remains in his ambulance, Ahmad does a final check-up of the vehicle's doors.

Ahmad's job doesn't have the luxury of a schedule - he often ferries corpses in the dead of night.

After finishing an overnight assignment, Jameel Ahmad poses for a picture on the road along with his ambulance. Ahmad's job entails no breaks, and an emergency call can send him back to work in a flash.

Jameel Ahmad sits in the hospital's drivers' room while chatting with his colleagues.

The discussion inside the room brings much-needed respite to Ahmad from his stressful and dreary job.

A picture of Jameel Ahmad being rewarded with a 'COVID-19 Warrior Award' by the government is fixed atop the roof of the hospital's drivers' room in Srinagar. Ahmad's son also joined his father at the award ceremony.

Jameel Ahmad watches television at the hospital's canteen while waiting for his tea.

This photo was taken after he had completed an overnight assignment and had needed to rush back to the hospital.

According to him, ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has hardly had lunch at home.

After his breakfast at the hospital canteen, Jameel Ahmad is joined by his colleagues for a chat. His colleagues ensure that they are masked in front of Ahmad.

After ferrying a COVID-19 patient's dead body to the graveyard on Srinagar's outskirts, Ahmad catches up with the relatives of the victim for a chat.

Scenes at the funerals of COVID-19 patients, often leave him distraught and helpless, Ahmad says.

Anxious calls from home often punctuate Ahmad's work at night. In this picture, Ahmad is talking to his wife and checking about his children, while he waits for the remains of a COVID-19 victim outside a Srinagar hospital.

Jameel Ahmad takes a break from his work on a busy road in Srinagar city. Ahmad had just returned from ferrying a 17-year-old female COVID-19 victim to the graveyard.

It was the first time he broke into tears since he began dealing with the remains of COVID-19 victims.

Hoping it's the last assignment of the day, Ahmad leaves for home in his ambulance. His companion throughout his pandemic journey, Ahmad takes care of his vehicle like his mother, he says.

An overview of Srinagar, where Ahmad works day and night during this pandemic.

After ferrying a COVID-19 victim's remains to the graveyard on Srinagar's outskirts, Ahmad catches up with his colleagues for a chat.

Scenes at the funerals of COVID-19 patient’s often left him distraught and helpless, Ahmad says.

Ahmad sitting with his colleagues in their office room where they have spent most of their time together during this COVID-19 pandemic.