Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor has expressedshock over the mortal remains of three Indians being sent back to Abu Dhabiafter they were flown to their families in India, according to a media reporton Saturday.
The deceased were not coronavirus cases but were returned bythe authorities in New Delhi, the Gulf News reported.
“We are appalled at what has happened. We do not knowif the bodies were returned because of coronavirus-related restrictions, but weare obviously not sending the remains of people [who have passed away fromCOVID-19],” Kapoor told the daily.
“[As we understand], it happened because of newprotocols at the airport and we are trying to sort it out,” he said.
The deceased were identified as Kamlesh Bhatt, Sanjeev Kumarand Jagsir Singh. Bhatt died of cardiac arrest on April 17, both Kumar andSingh had died on April 13.
A foreign worker’s employer has to usually arrange cargocompanies to repatriate bodies of deceased persons.
If airport protocols have changed, it means cargo companieshave to be more careful about the clearance they’re getting, Kapoor told thenewspaper.
Meanwhile, the Indian government on Saturday told the DelhiHigh Court that it will find out from the embassy concerned about the locationand condition of the mortal remains of Bhatt, who died in UAE and his body wasreturned to Abu Dhabi from Delhi due to immigration issues.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General ManinderAcharya, representing the Centre, submitted that it being a unique case, theministries of Home Affairs and Health and Family Welfare are in the process offraming Standard Operating Procedures so that in future there is no difficultyin similar matters.
She further said that a meeting was going on at the highestlevel to consider the petitioner’s case and prayed for some time to reportabout it.
The law officer said the Centre shall find out from theconcerned Embassy as to the location and condition of the mortal remains of thedeceased which were flown back from India.
Governments across the world have imposed unprecedentedrestrictions in view of the coronavirus outbreak, resulting in difficulties inrepatriating remains of deceased persons.
The coronavirus, which originated in China’s Wuhan city, hasclaimed nearly 2,00,000 lives and infected over 2.8 million people in the worldso far. The virus has taken 64 lives in the UAE.