Bodies' arrival: DCs meet kin of 27 Punjabis IS killed

AMRITSAR: Families of 39 Indians, who were killed in Iraq after being captured by the Islamic State (IS) militants in June 2014 from Mosul, are making preparations to cremate the victims. Bodies of 27 Punjabis and four Himachalis will arrive at the airport here on Monday. The DCs of the districts to which these victims belonged held meetings with their families on Saturday to inform them about arrangements.
Amritsar DC Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said on Saturday that he had held a detailed meeting with officials of the Customs, immigration, Central Industrial Security Force, police, IAF and civil aviation to chalk out the preparations for smooth handing over of the bodies to their respective relatives. He said that he had also talked to the DCs of other districts in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh for sending ambulances or vehicles for ferrying coffins to their native places, where they would be cremated later.

According to reports, Union minister of state for external affairs V K Singh would be visiting Iraq on Sunday and return with the remains of the 39 Indians on Monday - first to Amritsar and then to Patna and Kolkota.

Meanwhile, Sangha stated that the administration was planning to use the exit passage of the airport on the Flying Club side so that normal operations of the international airport were not hampered and there was no chaos since the mood would be sombre as relatives would be grieving.

On March 20, almost three and half years after they were shot dead by the IS near Mosul city of Iraq, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had confirmed the killings following the matching of the DNAs of slain Indians with their relatives back home. All 39 Indians who worked in a construction company were captured by the IS in June 2014 and killed in cold blood.

Meanwhile, Gurpinder Kaur, sister of Manjinder Singh, one of the victims, said the administration had conveyed the message to the relatives of hapless Indians that their bodies were arriving on Monday. "I will go to receive the body of my brother which will be cremated at our native village Babowal," she said. However, she maintained that the government had not given any information on compensation to be given to the relatives of those killed. "Last Monday, we had met Sushma Swaraj and she had assured us of aid," added Gurpinder.