[ad_1]
After days of back and forth, the bodies of three Abu Dhabi Indians were brought back to Delhi and released to their families on Monday.
The delivery took place early in the morning at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), ending a five-day trial for families and allowing them to complete the final rites.
Also read: Coronavirus | Bureaucracy Halts Return of Gulf Bodies
The remains of the three men, who were expatriate workers in the United Arab Emirates, Kamlesh Bhatt from Uttarakhand, and Jagsir Singh and Sanjeev Kumar from Punjab, had also arrived earlier on April 23, but were sent back by immigration authorities because There were not enough free spaces to admit them into the country.
The case had sparked controversy over government guidelines for the return of the bodies during the coronavirus pandemic, as families alleged that the bodies should remain and not return to the UAE while permits were obtained, but to no avail.
Also read: Another Indian Expat in UAE Fired for Islamophobic Post
“Finally, we are relieved that we were able to retrieve Kamlesh’s body and his parents were able to see his son’s face before his last rites,” said his cousin Vimlesh Bhatt, who had driven twice to Delhi from Tehri Garhwal in the middle of the closing order to receive Mr. Bhatt’s remains. “We only wish that government agencies had moved a little faster to avoid the confusion that led to his body being sent back,” he added.
Bhatt, a 25-year-old hotel employee, who was the sole worker in the family, had worked in Abu Dhabi for three years before dying of a heart attack on April 17.
Authorities said the confusion last week was due to the fact that the government had issued three separate notices. One of the Interior Ministry on April 23, who granted immigration duties to International Check Points (ICP), did not mention the mortal remains of Indians who die abroad, which was read as a ban on returning their bodies.
Also read: Indian envoy condemns hate speech of Indians in UAE
On April 25, after Mr. Bhatt’s family appealed to the High Court, and the Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates expressed shock at the return of the bodies to Abu Dhabi, the MHA issued a second note. clarifying that the bodies could be returned, subject to guidelines specified by the Ministry of Health. On April 26, the government seemed to change its position of the total ban even further, establishing guidelines that even addressed the possibility of recovering the bodies of patients who die from the coronavirus.
The latest guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Health, said that the import of human remains from confirmed / suspected COVID-19 patients was “not recommended,” but added a five-point Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the event that bring the body of a coronavirus patient. in the country anyway.
The procedure now includes the need for Indian embassies or consulates to issue a “certificate of no objection,” along with a packaging certificate according to guidelines issued by the World Health Organization.
The guidelines to allow the transportation of COVID-19 patients are contrary to procedures in many other countries, where bodies are being cremated at home, while families abroad may receive the ashes.
Speaking about the risk of bringing back the bodies of those who have died from COVID-19, K.K. Aggarwal, former president of the Indian Medical Association, said the virus is known to spread through contact with contaminated respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through contact with contaminated hands, surfaces, or objects.
Although people are less likely to contract COVID-19 from deceased people infected with the virus, it is vital, according to WHO guidelines, that precautionary strategies are used to minimize public health risks and prevent the spread of the disease, said.
(with contributions from Bindu Shajan Perappadan)
