Family awaits Indian expat’s body

Manama

The wait is on for the grieving family members of Indian national Antony Arul Anish to see his body for the last time. Twenty-one-year-old Antony Arul Anish was shot dead by Iranian sea pirates while fishing along with five other fishermen.

The body is still kept in the King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) in Muharraq.  Hailing from Enayamputhenthurai fishing village of Kanyakumari District, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Anish was working as a contract labourer in a fishing company in Qatar.

The fishermen had reportedly left the fishing base of Qatar in the early hours of August 6. After being shot at by sea pirates, the Bahrain Coast Guard airlifted the injured fisherman to the hospital in Muharraq where he succumbed to his injuries. 

His parents Androse and Shanthi are in tears as they have lost their second son also in a tragedy.  They lost their first son Andrews in an accident two years ago in India. After the loss of two sons, their two sisters and parents are traumatized  and face a bleak future.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalalitha had requested the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to direct the Indian Embassy at Bahrain and Qatar to take urgent steps to arrange for the transportation of the body of the fisherman to Tamil Nadu at the earliest. 

The Indian Embassy Counselor, Ram Singh told DT News that they would be sending the dead body as soon as they get the death certificate from the Interior Ministry. “Hopefully in a day or two we will be able to send the body to India,” Ram Singh said.  

Bahrain–Kanyakumari Congress President Thoothoor Shalo and Secretary Marthandamthura Francis Xavier requested the authorities to repatriate the body and provide financial assistance to the family. “This poor fisherman had gone to Qatar as a fishing labourer on contract to support his family back in India. The family now lost their sole bread winner,” they added.