Suspicious deaths cause delays in repatriating expats' bodies

TDT | Manama                                                               

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

Unpleasant incidents such as suicide, accidents, or even murder can prevent the body of an expatriate in Bahrain from being sent back to the home country in a timely manner, according to social workers and mortuary staff.

The drawn-out process is caused by the investigative phase and the completion of the appropriate paperwork, like a death certificate. A 33-year-old Indian man's decomposing body, who reportedly committed suicide, was discovered by police last September after they responded to a call about a strong smell emanating from a closed laundry shop in Hoora.

Bahrain-based social worker Sudheer Thirunilath told The Daily Tribune that the victim's family’s financial predicament and a lack of adequate documents are to blame for the body’s delayed return to India.

He added that there were numerous challenges in this case, such as getting in touch with the court to obtain the death certificate, which caused some delay. "Setting up the execution, for which the court required a new power of attorney from the family, was challenging because it was difficult to explain the process to the family members.

Thankfully, the required paperwork was completed with the assistance of social workers, the Indian Embassy, and an attorney. The Indian Embassy was responsible for paying the airfare and other costs associated with the repatriation proceedings," he explained.

"Months after his body was found, the repatriation was finally done yesterday. I would like to stress how crucial it is to have legal documents to avoid drawn-out proceedings." Meanwhile, mortuary staff said that under normal conditions, the process to clear a dead body takes one to two days, and only in questionable circumstances such as suicide, accidents, or murder where the identity of the victim is probably unclear or there is a lack of any supporting documentation will public prosecutors intervene.

"Once the Public Prosecution approves, the body can be returned to its native country. Nevertheless, the Bahraini government has been very helpful in dealing with these situations." They further explained that, depending on the specifics of each situation, there may be a delay if the company takes some time to provide information about the deceased employee.

"In general, the procedure consists of a few steps: a notice from the mortuary, a death certificate, a letter from the embassy, paperwork from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the involvement of CID as the last step."

The Daily Tribune previously reported that over 250 Indian expatriates passed away in Bahrain last year, the majority of them due to health problems probably brought on by difficult financial times. This year, there have been over 30 reported suicide fatalities so far.