Tamil Nadu: 83 bodies return for a proper goodbye

CHENNAI: A draconian lockdown due to the spread of Covid-19 has resulted in many not being able to be with their loved ones across the world in person during their last moments.
However, many Indian citizens in Chennai and Tamil Nadu have used a facility provided by cargo airlines to bring back dead bodies of their relatives and accord a proper burial or cremation in their home towns.
Official data from Chennai international airport shows that between March and May 2020, 83 bodies had arrived from foreign countries, mainly from gulf countries, senior Customs officials said.
However, bringing back dead bodies of patients who died due to Covid-19 is not allowed by Indian authorities, for safety reasons.
In official airlines parlance, dead bodies are known as Human remains (HUM).
As per customs act, the import of human remains is allowed without restriction, but subject to providing documents which have to be sent with the human remains.
A senior Customs officials told TOI that the documents required are simple. “The doctors from the originating country have to submit a death certificate which provide the cause of death. The body should be embalmed,” the official said.
Embalming is a process by which the blood from a dead body is drained and a mixture of chemicals like formaldehyde is infused to delay the onset of decomposition of the body.
A sealing certificate is provided by the official along with the coffin. A letter from the Indian embassy and the original passport are the other documents needed.
At Chennai, the relative has to provide her identity proof and contact the emigration officials who will verify the documents and deface the passport by cutting the edges and stamp it as cancelled. Relatives then have to get the body cleared from Deputy commissioner of Customs who will verify the documents again.
peaking to TOI, Sankar, a native of Sivaganga said that he had brought back the body of his brother from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia last month. “We had petitioned the collector and wrote a letter to the embassy officials. We did not pay any charges. It was smoothly done,” he said.