Hindu man from Una dist buried as per Muslim custom in Saudi Arabia

Shimla: The mortal remains of a Hindu man from the Una district of Himachal Pradesh were buried in Saudi Arabia as per Muslim custom. The issued was raised by Congress MLA Satpal Singh Raizada in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday, following which CM Jai Ram Thakur said he would take up the matter with the ministry of external affairs.
Taking up the matter immediately after the question hour ended at noon, Una MLA Raizada said the bereaved family took up the matter at various levels but got no help in bringing back the body. He said Sanjeev Kumar had gone to Saudi Arabia three years ago in search of employment and never returned. On December 23, 2020, his friend there had informed the family in Una about his Sanjeev’s sudden illness and hospitalisation, he said. A month later, they were told that he had died in the hospital and the family had sought help from the government officials on January 27. He said, they had even contacted Union minister of state finance and corporate affairs Anurag Thakur and approached the Indian embassy for help, but did not get any response.
On February 17, the friend again informed the family that when he went to claim the body, the hospital administration told him that Sanjeev had been buried. The MLA stated that the Sanjeev’s family was very upset with his Muslim burial and wanted to perform the last rites as per Hindu customs. He said the state government should take up this matter with government of Saudi Arabia through the Union government so that the body is brought back to India and last rites performed according to Hindu customs.
Thakur asked the MLA to narrate the entire incident in writing so that he could take up the matter with the external affairs ministry.