Sidhu to facilitate handing over of bodies to relatives
Monday, 02/04/2018
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/sidhu-to-facilitate-handing-over-of-bodies-to-relatives/567467.html
Amritsar : The mortal remains of 38 Indians, who were killed in Mosul (Iraq), will land at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport here at 1.30 pm on Monday. Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will receive the remains of 27 Punjabis.
Similarly, the remains of four deceased belonging to Himachal Pradesh will be received by an HP minister. The remaining will be flown to Kolkata/Bihar for their respective destinations.
For a smooth operation, meetings were held with heads of different departments, including officials of the airport, customs, immigration and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Deputy Commissioner KS Sangha said the bodies would reach the Amritsar airport through a special Air Force aircraft under the supervision of Gen VK Singh and other officials. Sangha said some of the family members of the victims were also expected to arrive at the airport.
“There is no restriction on any of the aggrieved family, but we have received inputs from DCs of some districts that the mortal remains should directly be sent to the homes of the affected families. The designated officials will receive these accordingly,” he said.
As many as seven victims belonged to Amritsar district, the remaining were from Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (law and order) Amrik Singh Pawar said the remains would be taken to the respective places specially arranged ambulances. Each ambulance would be escorted by police vehicles.
Pawar said some families belonging to Amritsar district had confirmed their presence at the airport. “The remains will arrive in coffins which would be sealed. We have been told that since the remains were in a dilapidated state, the coffins should never be opened. We will intimate the families concerned,” he said.
Meanwhile, Seema of Chawinda Devi said the SHO of their vicinity had approached them in the afternoon to accompany police force to Amritsar airport to receive her husband Sonu’s remains.
