Son moves Kerala HC seeking compensation for Suraj Lama’s death after deportation from Kuwait

Kochi: Santom Lama, the son of Suraj Lama, the man who went missing after being deported to Kochi from Kuwait and was later found dead in a marshy land at Kalamassery, has approached high court with a petition seeking adequate and befitting compensation for the tragic death of his father.The petitioner alleged that the death was caused by negligence and systemic failure on the part of the state govt and officials of Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial). A bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Jobin Sebastian, on Monday, allowed the petitioner to amend his earlier habeas corpus petition seeking to trace his father into a petition seeking compensation for his death. HC is scheduled to consider the compensation plea on March 25.Lama, a native of Bengaluru who had been working in Kuwait for several years, was hospitalised in 2025 after suffering acute toxic leukoencephalopathy caused by alcohol poisoning. He was reportedly experiencing memory loss and disorientation and was later deported to India on Oct 5, 2025, without his family in Bengaluru being informed. After arriving in Kochi, he was reportedly seen at multiple locations before being reported missing. The Thrikkakara police took him into custody on Oct 10 without establishing his identity and admitted him to Govt Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, after which his whereabouts became unknown. A decomposed body found near the hospital on Nov 30 was later confirmed through forensic tests to be that of Lama's.In his petition, Santom Lama claimed that there is no proper explanation from the immigration authorities as to how a person suffering from mental disorientation was allowed to leave the airport. The petition further alleged that both Cial and police officers handled the situation callously, without adhering to any guidelines or mandatory directives in place. It was also pointed out that Thrikkakara police took Lama into custody while a missing-person complaint regarding him was under investigation and admitted him to the Govt Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, without verifying his identity or informing his family. He was later discharged from the hospital without the police being notified.According to the petitioner, these incidents reveal a chain of negligence and systemic failure on the part of the authorities, who had a duty to ensure the safety and protection of the deceased.