Mangalore, June 2: A mass funeral of 12 unidentified and unclaimed victims of Air India Express plane that crashed near Mangalore Airport on 22nd May was held in the evening of Wednesday, 2nd June at Tannirubavi, near Kulur on the outskirts of the city.
Earlier, the district administration has received a nod from the frustrated families, who only have lost their kith and kin but also failed to get their dead bodies, for conducting mass burial of the unclaimed bodies.
Priests from all religions were present at the funeral. The rituals began by offering Janazah Namaz under the leadership of BK Illyas Baqavi, Imam of Bolar Jumma Masjid according to the principals of Islam. A large number of people participated in the Namaz, which followed by the worshipful prayers for the victims.
Fr. Dennis Prabhu, Vicar General, Mangalore Diocese prayed on behalf of the Christian families according to their belief. Later, MB Puranik, a leader of RSS offered rites according to the Hindu belief.
Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh garlanded the bodies on behalf of the police department, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police SA Prabhakar Sharma, MCC Commissioner Dr. K. N. Vijayaprakash, C. Basavaraj, DMO of Wenlock Hospital Dr. Saroja, and Harsha garlanded the bodies on behalf of the district administration, Mangalore City Corporation, fire department, Wenlock Hospital, and Press Club, respectively.
Speaking to the media persons after paying homage to the victims Palemar said that today is the last day of mourning for the district.
Blood samples of 34 claimants did not match DNA of any of the 11 victims during the tests done at Central Forensic Laboratory in Hyderabad while one family refused to take the body though the samples matched.
Additional Deputy Commissioner SA Prabhakar Sharma and Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh of Dakshina Kannada district held discussions with the claimants late Tuesday after which it was agreed to go for mass funeral.
Sharma said section 34 of the Disaster Management Act empowers the district administration to decide on disposing of the bodies. Generally the district administration would bury such unidentified bodies.
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