Turkey: Process underway to send body of Indian who lost life in quake

TURKEY: Terming the development "unfortunate," India's Ambassador to Turkey Virander Paul said that the mortal remains of the only Indian, who went missing and later found dead in a hotel, are in the process of being sent to his family member in Uttarakhand.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Paul said that it is "very unfortunate" that the only missing Indian national was found dead yesterday.

"We are in the process of earliest transportation of his mortal remains to India," he told ANI. Vijay Kumar, a resident of Kotdwar in Uttarakhand, was on a business trip to Turkey at the time of the earthquake. His mortal remains were found and identified among the debris of a hotel in Malatya.

He had left Kotdwar on 23 January. In addition, the ambassador said, "Indian embassy in turkey is in direct touch with the victim's family."

The Indian embassy in Turkey is in talks with the Turkish Government about the clearance and other documentation work to send the mortal remains as soon as possible through commercial flights.

The Indian Embassy in Turkey informed on Saturday that the mortal remains of Kumar have been found.

"We inform with sorrow that the mortal remains of Shri Vijay Kumar, an Indian national missing in Turkiye since the February 6 earthquake, have been found and identified among the debris of a hotel in Malatya, where he was on a business trip," the Embassy said in a tweet.

After hearing the news, Kumar's family members were in deep shock. They cried inconsolably. Neighbours and relatives came to Kumar's Kotdwar residence to express their condolences.

Vijay Kumar is survived by his mother, wife, and six-year-old child. He had lost his father about one and a half months back.

The Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier this month that 10 Indians were struck in remote parts of Turkey after the country was hit by two "biggest natural disaster" earthquakes.

Still, they are safe while one citizen is missing.