Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, May 31: Union minister for state in the railways, K H Muniayppa, told the reporters here on Sunday May 30, that all the remaining 12 DNA test reports of the air crash victims are expected to be received on Monday May 31. He was addressing a press conference after holding a review meeting with the officials about the distribution of relief to the crash victims and other related tasks.
“As soon as the DNA test reports are received, the bodies will be released to the relatives of the concerned. If the bodies remain unidentified and unclaimed even after the receipt of the reports, they will be cremated by the district administration, after consulting the leaders of all the religions as per rules,” he explained.
Muniyappa appreciated the police department headed by the city police commissioner, district administration, and the local citizens for tirelessly working to help the victims. He said that the district administration and policemen deserve full marks for the efforts made by them, feeling that small things like the confusion over the handing over the body of a child to some others are bound to happen in relief operations of such a magnitude. He revealed that a single window counter has been opened at the Lalbagh office of Air India for issuing death certificates of the air crash victims, where documents will be properly verified before issuance of the certificates.
The minister clarified that disbursal of relief has nothing to do with the disposal of the bodies, and that the close relatives of those who lost their lives in the tragedy, will get the relief. “If the spouse and children of the deceased passengers are alive, there will be no problem in handing over the relief amount. In other cases, court orders will have to be procured to prove succession,” he explained. He clarified that he does not have information about anyone travelling in the ill-fated aircraft with fake passports.
The job of relief disbursal will be held again on this Thursday and Friday, and the single window agency will begin working from Monday, the officials said.
In-charge deputy commissioner, Prabhakar Sharma, city police commissioner, Seemantkumar Singh, Air India assistant general manager, Capt S G Amin, and Congress leader, Moideen Bawa, were present at the press conference.