Remains of Iraq victims: Week more

Smita Sharma

tribune news service

New Delhi, March 26

The traumatic wait for the mortal remains of 39 Indians killed in Iraq continues for the grieving families. 

This will take at least another week, some of them were told during a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Monday — the first after she informed Parliament last week that the men abducted by the Islamic State (IS) in June 2014 had been declared dead. 

The meeting at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan lasted for more than an hour with Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh and BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa present too. 

Parminder, who lost his brother Kamaljit Singh, brother-in-law Kulwinder and cousin Gurdeep, told The Tribune: “We were assured the remains would be flown in by next week and that the Prime Minister had been approached on possible compensation for the families.” 

As of now, the affected families in Punjab are provided a monthly compensation of Rs 20,000 by the state government. Options are being weighed to provide a job each to the affected families and school education to the wards of the victims, who were working as construction workers when they were taken hostage in Mosul. 

The families reportedly expressed anguish over not being informed of the deaths personally. Swaraj explained that Parliament being in session, she could not have informed them prior to an official announcement, as per the parliamentary convention. She also said she would speak to the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, to which these men belonged, and work out the modalities for compensation.

“Some families are very poor and we want them to get compensation. But for us, it is about getting the mortal remains home for the last rites,” said Raman from Himachal, whose 31-year-old unmarried brother Aman Kumar was among the killed. 

Meanwhile, India has sent across the second DNA sample of Raju Yadav of Patna for forensic examination. His identity is yet to be certified by humanitarian assistance group Martyrs Foundation working with the International Red Crescent and Iraqi Government’s Department of Mass Graves.

The earlier samples collected from relatives, as he did not have parents, matched only 70 per cent whereas the identity is confirmed after a 98 per cent match. 

“Last week, we sent samples of Raju Yadav’s brother, who lives in Siwan. We hope the results will be announced soon,” said VK Singh, waiting for final documentation clearance before he flies to Baghdad with a special aircraft to bring the mortal remains home.