Man’s body stranded in Jeddah for 7 months

Shahjahanpur: For almost two months, 85-year-old Maryam Begum has been waiting to perform the last rites of her son, whose body lies cold-stored in a mortuary in Saudi Arabia for last seven months.
Mohammad Alam, 35, had gone to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for work last year, and died there on March 30, according to the Indian Embassy. His family was informed about Alam's death only on August 24, Alam's brother Aftab Alam said.
Since then the family has written to authorities requesting Alam's body to be brought back for his burial in Shahjahanpur, where he hailed from. However, as per cops, Alam's wife, Farheen, has also given her permission to an acquaintance to perform her husband's last rites in Jeddah.
Farheen, who lives her parents in Shahjahanpur, has in an official letter given her consent to an acquaintance in Jeddah to bury Alam there. She in the letter contended that the body had already been kept there for too long.
Superintendent of Police (SP) S Anand said that Alam had gone to Jeddah for a job and died there on March 30. He said that Police after being informed by the Indian Embassy about his death, relayed the news to family immediately and handed them the consent letter given by the embassy to be signed by them. Alam's mother and brother then gave their consent to bring the body back.
At the moment, Alam's awaits burial and lies in a mortuary in Jeddah.PTI