Aroor mishap: Procedures delay body dispatch

Kochi: The cops managed to fish out the bodies of four Nepalese who went missing in the Aroor mishap but their  relatives will have to wait for a long time to take the bodies home owing to the legal tangles.  The state government has also  not announced any financial assistance to the victims. The authorities are waiting to complete the formalities of the Nepal natives, Shyam Khatri, Madhu, Himlal and Gaman Bahadur Khatri. The body of Nijas of Panavally was handed over to the relatives on Friday.

Lokman Hale, 32, Suresh Khatri, 28,  Behadoor Rekha, 36, and Ramu  had  escaped unhurt. They were taken to hospitals but were discharged soon. They also want to go to their homeland. The State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMS) had contacted Nepal government through the Nepal embassy in India soon after the accident  but they are yet to get a final decision on  the bodies. The KSDMS sought the address and other details of the four  persons from Ernakulam collectorate but did not  get any details.

According to  Mr Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose, member secretary of the State Emergency Operations Centre, the authorities were  in touch with  Nepal.  “As the deceased are Nepal natives, the bodies can  be handed over only as per international norms. Just like in the case of an Indian dying abroad,   we need to try our level best to get it done,” he  said. Once they receive the details,  further action would be taken. “Most probably we will contact the Nepal Embassy tomorrow,” he said. The bodies are kept in  the mortuaries at Thripunithura Taluk Hospital and Ernakulam General Hospital.

Three more bodies found

The rescue team  on Friday found the remaining three  bodies of the persons who went missing after  a pickup van  crashed at Aroor bridge and plunged into the Kochi backwaters on Wednesday.   Two bodies were retrieved earlier.  A total of nine persons were in the pickup van, including the driver. The police found the bodies of Nijas Ali of Madhurakulam, near Cherthala,  and  Shyam Khatri and Gaman Bahadur Khatri  of Nepal. Other than Nijas, all the others  belonged to Nepal.  There is confusion over how the accident  actually happened. Four persons were rescued  by local fishermen.

According to the police, the bodies of Shyam and Gaman were found near Edakochi-Aroor bridge  around 12 midnight  and 8. 30 a.m. respectively.  The body of Nijas was recovered from Perumpadappu around 9.30 a.m. The bodies were shifted to Ernakulam General Hospital and Triupunithura Taluk Hospital. The body of Nijas was handed over to the relatives after post-mortem by evening. The Edappally police have  registered a case.