RAMANATHAPURAM
Stating that she could not bring back the body of her husband who died in Dubai due to financial constraints, a 35-year-old woman has made a plea to Collector S. Natarajan to arrange for the cremation of the body in Dubai itself and get her the death certificated by the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The hapless woman, M. Boopathy of Kuppavalasai, said her husband G. Muruganandam (28) went to Dubai on contract fishing in October 2017 and died on the night of June 1 this year. As she did not have the wherewithal to bring back the body, she urged the Collector to arrange for the cremation of the body in Dubai itself. The body was being kept in the morgue of a government hospital there, she said.
Muruganandam had married her against the wish of his family members as she was older to him, and hence she had no support now, she said. Muruganandam had gone on contract fishing for the first time and he had just begun to send some money when he died, she said, adding she had no children.
G. Muniasamy, elder brother of the deceased, said it was already three weeks since his brother died and there was no point in bringing the body here. The employer of his brother, an Arab national, had promised to extend some financial assistance to Ms. Boopathy, he said.
He said Muruganandam had some heart ailments and the family did not suspect any foul play in his death. After returning from fishing on the night of June 1, Muruganandam had dinner and went to sleep. His friends informed the family of his death the next day, Mr. Muniasamy added.
The Collector said he would forward the petition to the government for necessary action. The State government would alert the Ministry of External Affairs which, in turn, would initiate action through the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, he said.
