Following the directive of Public Works and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, the Kozhikode district administration has taken up the responsibility to coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to bring back the bodies of the five members of a family from Beypore who were killed in a road accident in Saudi Arabia’s Bisha province on Saturday.
According to local body members from Beypore, efforts are on to bring back the bodies by Wednesday and conduct the victims’ last rites in their homeland. Though there were initially plans to conduct the funeral in Saudi Arabia itself, it was later changed following the wish of their close relatives who sought the support of the minister and the district administration.
Mohammed Jabir, 48, his wife Shabna Jabir, 36, and their children Laiba, 7, Saha, 5, and Lutfi, 3, were the five victims who lost their lives in the accident which took place nearly 200-km away from Riyadh. Leaders of Non-Resident Keralites’ organisations said a sports utility vehicle reportedly hit Jabir’s car while they were travelling from Jubail to his new workplace at Jizan. The death of the couple and their children was a shocker for Beypore residents.
“We have already reached out to the couple’s parents and assured them all mental support to overcome the trauma. All of us are in touch with them to clear the mandatory paperwork for bringing back the bodies on time,” said M. Girija, councillor from Beypore Port ward. She said District Collector N. Tej Lohit Reddy also promised to do everything possible on his part to facilitate the funeral of the victims in their homeland.
