The remains of the 39 Indians kidnapped from a construction site in Mosul and later killed were identified with the help of DNA samples from their families, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said at a press conference here on Tuesday. Apart from DNA samples, the men were identified by their turbans and hair, in a process which lasted months and involved multiple agencies of the Iraqi and Indian governments.
“We identified a mound in Badush and then asked them [Iraqi government] to exhume bodies. The remains were brought to Baghdad and then we conducted DNA matching with samples taken from the families,” the Minister said.
In batches
The identification of the victims began in batches and the Indian government was informed about the process gradually. “First they informed us of one person, Sandeep Singh. Then the identity of others was also informed to me. Finally, yesterday [Monday] I was told about 38 persons,” said Ms. Swaraj. She, however, could not recollect the exact date when the first person was identified.
DNA samples had been collected from the relatives of the 39 Indians after the fall of Mosul and sent to the Iraqi government forces last July.
“They had taken our blood samples for DNA testing sometime the month of October 2017. We were told that some dead bodies have been found in Iraq and the DNA test was being conducted only to clear doubt,” said Ranjeet Kaur, mother of Jatinder Singh, who was last heard of in June 2014.
The Hindu reported in October 2017 that the DNA samples were being collected from various families through the office of the local tehsildars. The samples were then flown to Baghdad.
Grave in Badush
After exhumation of the bodies, Iraqi authorities found that there were a number of items that indicated the Indian origin of the men. “We discovered long hair and steel bangles which are signs of the victims of being Sikhs as several of the 39 were Sikhs. We found turbans among them which again indicated their origin,” Ms. Swaraj said. The completion of the entire forensic process will be done when the remains of Raju Yadav of Bihar are identified.
The Minister said the bodies were not found in mass graves in Mosul, but in the smaller city of Badush which was liberated some time after Mosul.
The men were last contacted on June 14, 2014 when they called home. Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh said he would leave for Baghdad as soon as the entire forensics process is completed in Bagdhad.
