Families of those killed in Iraq in Delhi on Monday. (Renuka Puri)
The bodies of 39 Indians killed in Iraq may be brought back in a week, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told families of the victims when they met her Monday in Delhi. Most families had come from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Besides Swaraj, MoS, External Affairs, V K Singh, and Union Minister and Hoshiarpur MP Vijay Sampla were among those present in the meeting at Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhavan.
Gurpinder Kaur, whose brother Manjinder is among the dead, told The Indian Express, “Sushma Swaraj told us that MoS V K Singh visited Iraq soon after the war ended last year. He was asked to search for the missing Indians in Badush jail. V K Singh went to Badush and asked local residents about missing Indians. Local people suggested him to look for bodies at a dune where IS had reportedly disposed of many bodies in a mass grave.”
“The grave was first scanned with radar. It was later found that some bodies had long hair and Kada (iron bracelet). This led Indian authorities to doubt the remains may be of missing Indians as many of them were Sikh. The remains were exhumed and DNA samples collected. Those samples were matched with samples collected from their families in India,” said Gurpinder. She said, “The government has not said how, when and by whom they were killed. It is seeking more information.”
“We were informed that the mortal remains may reach India next week. We have not been given a specific date but the minister told us the bodies would reach India soon,” said Gurpinder.
She said, “We also raised the issue of compensation and jobs. The minister assured us that her office will gather information about the victims’ family members from state governments and arrange for jobs. She also assured that our request for compensation will be discussed with state governments.”
Usha Rani, 35, whose husband Sarjeet Nanka, is among the victims, said, “My husband worked as a painter. The last time we spoke, he had said the situation is worsening, but we had no option as he was the only earning member in the family. We are hopeful after the visit that the government will do something.”
“My son is seven, I have no work and I am surviving on the Rs 20,000 the government is giving. There should be an assurance that it won’t stop,” she said.
MEA officials, meanwhile, said External Affairs Ministry will only play a “facilitator’s role” in awarding compensation, but any such decision on central level will have to be taken by Home Ministry.
As many as 40 Indians were abducted by the IS from Mosul in Iraq, but one of them escaped posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh, Swaraj had said in Rajya Sabha. The remaining 39 were taken to Badoosh and killed, she had said.