Indian family to receive correct body after mix-up in UAE

Nidhin Othayoth Kottaron (Left) and Kamatchi Krishnan (Right).

The mortal remains of an Indian expat that got stranded in an Abu Dhabi mortuary due to a mix-up with another body have finally been released, the Indian embassy has confirmed.
"The body of Nidhin Othayoth Kottaron was released around 6pm on Sunday," Raja Murugan, counsellor (consular) at the embassy, told Khaleej Times.
Wrong body repatriated from UAE to India because of 'human error'
Officials from the company where the deceased worked said the body was to be flown on Air India flight leaving from Abu Dhabi at 12.15am on Monday.
Keralite expat Nidhin, 29, was wrongly identified at a mortuary in Abu Dhabi, resulting in the repatriation of the human remains of Kamatchi Krishnan, 39, from Tamil Nadu, according to Sunil Kumar, Nidhin's employer and relative. He said that the company PRO wrongly identified Krishnan as Nidhin and the error occurred because his face was swollen.
Indian family receives wrong dead body after mix-up in UAE
Nidhin was found hanging in his company's accommodation in Ruwais on July 5. And Krishnan, who was working as an electrician, reportedly died of a cardiac arrest on July 7.
Krishnan's body that was kept in a government hospital mortuary in Wayanad has already been collected by his relatives who came from Tamil Nadu, said the embassy official.
"It was a great team work in the right community spirit. Everyone - from the company staff to social workers, hospital staff and airport officials - extended their full cooperation to support the families in their worst time of grief. The embassy only played a small role in coordinating the efforts," said Murugan.
However, social workers and company officials showered praises on the embassy's efforts.
"We have to put on record that the Indian embassy officials worked tirelessly around the clock to get all the paperwork done," said Kumar. "We have also understood the value of social workers like Nasser Kanhangad, without whose selfless efforts and experience it would not have been possible to repatriate the body."
He said Air India officials were kind enough to waive off all the charges involved in the repatriation.
Relatives of both the deceased said they were relieved the formalities were over.
"The body will reach Kerala by 5.15am on Monday. The family members are desperate to receive the body, but they are relieved the painful wait is finally over," said Sudhakaran, a close relative of Nidhin.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com