Deadbodies held up in UAE for want of permission by Indian airports

Ajman: At least four dead bodies of Indians in UAE were held up in UAE airports, despite clearance given by the UAE aviation authorities. Community leaders and social activists in UAE blame the stalemate on the rigid stance of the authorities in India.

The deadbodies have been kept in UAE airports following denial of permission by the health inspector in Nedumbrassery airport.  As a result of the intervention by Kerala government and Ernakulam district authorities,  clearance was given to send the bodies on Wednesday.  But,  reportedly by the objection raised by airport authorities in Delhi, permission was refused by the Kochi airport officials,  as per social activist Ashraf Thamarassery who usually conducts the procedure in such cases for sending deadbodies home.

The bodies expected to arrive in India were those of Vishnu Ran from Thiruvananthapuram,  Manu Abraham Thampan from Harippad,  Thomas Varghese Puthanchira and Abdul Razack from Karekkad. It was after the embalming of the corpses was over and they were about to be shifted to the airport that news came about the refusal of permission.

The inability to send dead bodies home arose when passenger flights were banned from UAE following the Covid situation.   However,  with the intervention of prominent Indian businessmen and with the co-operation of cargo firms,  permission was later granted to send them via cargo flights.  And two dead bodies were sent to Thiruvananthapuram airport by cargo flights in this manner.

But the time the turn came for sending four dead bodies by an Emriates flight at 2.30 am on Tuesday,  authorities in India stepped in and refused entry.    Community leaders approached the chief minister's office and Norka secretary to intervene and thanks to their good offices,  and after discussions by the Ernakulam district collector S Suhas with airport authorities,  permission was granted to receive the dead boldies in Kochi airport.  Thus as of now,  the dead bodies are expected to land in Kochi by noon on Wednesday.