Chandigarh, Jan 29, KNT: Dozens of Kashmiris in Chandigarh on Thursday sought the urgent intervention of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to facilitate the airlifting of the body of an elderly man from Kulgam who died in a slab collapse incident near PGI Chandigarh.
Kashmiris living in the area said they are facing severe hardship and alleged a lack of support from both police and hospital authorities in Chandigarh. They claimed that instead of proper assistance, they were provided an auto rickshaw to transport the body to the hospital, which was located nearly 40 kilometres away from the site of the incident.
“We were shocked. No police help, no administrative support. We were left on our own,” said one of the Kashmiri residents present in Chandigarh. They alleged that the hospital authorities informed them that it could take 24 to 48 hours to complete formalities and release the body, further compounding their distress.
The deceased, identified earlier as Gul Mohammad Malik of Kulgam district, had died after a concrete slab reportedly collapsed during construction work near the PGI area. Kashmiris living in Chandigarh said the family is financially weak and completely dependent on external support to bring the body back home.
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They appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure immediate release of the body and its airlifting to Kashmir, stating that prolonged delay is adding to the trauma of the bereaved family.
They also urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to take up the matter with the Chandigarh administration to ensure dignity, timely legal formalities and humanitarian support in such cases involving migrant workers from Kashmir. [KNT]
