Reports of bodies piling up in Saudi mortuaries factually misleading: MEA

External Affairs Ministry on Friday described as "completely factually misleading" reports that more than 150 bodies of people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were lying in various hospitals and mortuaries in Saudi Arabia.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup also asserted that there are only about 10 cases that pertain to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. "This report is completely factually misleading. The report refers to 150 bodies from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

In reality, there are only about 10 cases that pertain to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. And the total number of bodies is nowhere near that number," he said. He was reacting to a report which said at least 150 bodies of residents of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are piling up at mortuaries in Saudi Arabia for nearly a year with families unable to bring them back to Hyderabad for last rites and the Indian embassy in Riyadh has been of little help.

Noting that there are more than 2 million Indians living and working in Saudi Arabia, Swarup said on average, there are3-4 death cases registered every day on account of natural reasons. Most cases are 'clear' cases in which, as per the local norms, it takes around three weeks to send mortal remains even if the documents are in order, the spokesperson added.

"In cases of unnatural death, like suicide, murder and industrial accident, and also in those cases wherein the families doubt the circumstances of death, the investigation procedure is very lengthy, causing delay in completion of documentation/transportation of mortal remains," he said.

Swarup further said in some cases, the families demand release of compensation first, before the dispatch of the mortal remains, whereas compensation is a legal process and takes a year. In other cases of delay, DNA samples from the families back home are needed to identify the body and complete the local procedures, he observed.

"So at any given time there would be a number of cases, of all categories, being processed. The Embassy proactively follows all death cases on top priority. In fact, NOCs are issued by the Embassy on 24x7 basis.

"In the Kafala system (sponsorship) being followed inSaudi Arabia, it is the responsibility of the sponsor to complete the paperwork and dispatch the mortal remains toIndia. Despite this legal position, the Embassy steps in wherever there are delays in the transportation of mortal remains," Swarup said.