Indian airlines' charge to repatriate bodies from UAE painful
Abu Dhabi: An expat's death isn't just a painful experience for family back home but it turns out to be a harrowing one for friends, beloved ones or colleagues here in the UAE.
It takes a while to get the formalities of paperwork done and for an Indian expat, there is an additional cost for transporting the body back to India. Airlines charge between Dh16 to Dh25 per kg, which includes weight of the body and coffin.
MM Nasar Kanhangad, a social worker who has been helping with repatriation process for years now, said the practice is agonising and is a big challenge.
"In most cases where a blue collar worker is involved we will come to know of their death a day or two later. I will run for the paperwork and then we also need to raise money for the air tickets," Kanhangad said while narrating cases of the deaths of poor workers like Beeraka Pushpavati, a house maid, and Vipan Singh, a mould maker, where he had to seek help from the Indian Embassy and social welfare associations to meet the requirements.
"The charges vary from airline to airline. The overall costs range between Dh2,500 to Dh3,000. Friends of the deceased can barely manage the amount, which is equivalent to one to two months' of their salary. Indian government must look into this issue," Kanhangad said while highlighting the role played by the Indian Embassy to help the expats.
Indian Ambassador Navdeep Singh Suri noted that the embassy through its Indian Community Welfare Fund has been providing assistance to the needy.
"The embassy has been doing this on a regular basis for all those who can't afford. Be it embalming of the body, expense of coffin or air ticket, the embassy has always stepped in," the ambassador said.
Suri clarified that with the population of Indian expats in the UAE totaling to 3.5 million that it hadn't been possible for the mission to provide financial help in every case.
In this regard, Abu Dhabi-based social worker N Harikumar has been raising the issue at various forums for a while. "This is a painful thing. Majority of people cannot afford the costs. So, the Indian government must act," said Harikumar, who is India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's NRI Cell Kerala convener.
Meanwhile, BJP's Kerala president Kummanam Rajasekharan, on a short visit to the UAE, said that the issue has been raised with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On March 30, Rajasekharan met Modi and tabled the grievances of the expats. He is hopeful about the issue getting addressed soon.
"On Tuesday, I spoke to VK Singh, India's Minister of State for External Affairs. I have requested him that, just like how Pakistan bears the expenses for the bodies of the expatriates to be repatriated back, India too should take a similar step," Rajasekharan added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CID to probe realtor murder case, says Karnataka Home Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that he has directed the CID to probe the alleged kidnapping and killing of a real estate businessman from Anekal, whose body was found in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on March 9.
The minister was responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Pradeep Eshwar in the Legislative Assembly during zero hour.
"On the issue raised by the MLA, the police have already taken action. One person has been arrested, and the search is on for others. Based on the initial reports we have got, I have instructed that the case be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department. The investigation will be done by them," Parameshwara said.
Demanding justice for the deceased's family, Eshwar earlier urged the home minister to hand over the case to the CID. "One person has been arrested and two suspects are still at large. They should be arrested at the earliest," he said.
Gopal alias Gopi was allegedly abducted on Sunday by a gang that intercepted his car near Karpur Gate. The assailants allegedly rammed his car from the rear and forcibly took him away in another car.
He was reportedly taken to a forest area near Denkanikottai in Krishnagiri district in Tamil Nadu, and was attacked by sharp weapons leading to death, police said, adding that the body was found on Monday.
Gopal's family members and relatives had staged a protest outside the Anekal police station, demanding the immediate arrest of all those behind the incident.
The police have arrested Mohan Babu, alleged to be the mastermind behind the crime, even as efforts are being made to nab his two associates who kidnapped Gopal. Business disputes and rivalry are said to be the reasons behind the killing.
