Kochi: A Bengaluru native, whose decomposed body was discovered in a forested area here after being deported from Kuwait, was laid to rest on Sunday, police said.
Suraj Lama (59) arrived in Kochi on October 5 following deportation from Kuwait, where he had run a restaurant. He was reportedly sent back due to memory loss caused by methanol poisoning. Lama went missing from the Ernakulam Government Medical College, Kalamassery, on October 10, and his body was later found on November 30 near the Hindustan Machine Tools premises. DNA tests recently confirmed the body was that of Lama.
Police said the body was released to the family earlier on Sunday and cremated thereafter.
Lama’s wife, Rimi Lama, told reporters the case should be treated as a murder investigation. “It has to be seen as a murder case. If the hospital had taken care of him, my husband would be alive today,” she claimed, adding she would file a complaint against the hospital. She also alleged, “Neither the hospital nor the police at the airport helped my husband.”
The Kerala High Court had earlier criticised alleged negligence by authorities after Lama’s son, Santon, filed a habeas corpus petition. The court has directed the Station House Officer of Nedumbassery police station to appear on Monday with all relevant files.
The court noted that the family had filed a missing person’s complaint at Nedumbassery police station on October 8, but police failed to coordinate with other stations and were unaware that Lama had been shifted to the medical college by Thrikakkara police on October 10.
Medical college authorities maintained that Lama had sought discharge after being found wandering in Thrikakkara, while the family rejected claims that he had mental health issues. They alleged hospital authorities discharged him without properly assessing his condition.
With PTI inputs