Confusion over arrival of bodies of 2 Punjab youth from Iraq in Amritsar

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 21

Confusion was caused on Wednesday over the arrival of two bodies of Punjab youth, who were killed by ISIS in Mosul, from Iraq.

Two Balachaur-based families had gone to collect the bodies of their kin at Guru Ram Dass Jee International airport at Amritsar returned empty handed due to a miscommunication reported between the district administration of Amritsar and Nawanshehar. 

A letter issued by Amit Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Nawanshehar, on March 20 stated the bodies of Parwinder Kumar, a resident of Jagatpur village and Jasveer Singh, a resident of Mahindpur village in district Nawanshehar would be arriving at the Amritsar airport on March 21 at 10 am. 

DC Nawanshehar Amit Kumar said he was told to stay in touch with DC Amritsar Kamaljit Singh Sangha. 

Sangha, however, said, "We only asked everyone to be prepared. How can we inform about the dates when we did not receive any such communication by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) so far?.”

The airport and police officials said that they had no information about the arrival of the bodies. 

The family members alleged that the administration have misinformed them.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh on Tuesday said that it may take up to 10 days to bring back the bodies of all 39 Indians killed in Iraq as there will be legal processes involved.

His comments came soon after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told Parliament that the 39 Indians abducted by Islamic State terror outfit in Mosul in Iraq were dead and their bodies have been recovered.

"There will be legal processes. We are waiting for information from there (Iraq). It may take 8-10 days (to bring back the bodies)," Singh told reporters outside Parliament.