Date:27/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/27/stories/2004092707170400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Bodies of pilgrims arrive

By Sangeeth Kurian

CHENNAI, SEPT. 26. Grief-stricken friends and relatives of pilgrims, who died in Friday's bus accident in Chamoli district of Uttaranchal, crowded the Meenambakkam Indian Airlines Air Cargo Complex here this morning to receive the bodies.

The ten bodies, embalmed and sealed in wooden coffins, reached the airport by flight IC-439 at 9.10 a.m. The names of the victims were written on the coffins. The bodies were moved into the waiting ambulances stationed outside the building after verifying the credentials of the receivers. The airport police had issued `No Objection Certificates' to all those who came to receive the bodies.

However for some, it was an agony that they could not endure.

K.R. Subramani, a private company employee and a relative of a victim, had the unpleasant task of informing the injured about the death of their loved ones. (Ten persons were injured in the accident.)

"I don't know what face I will put up before her," said a disturbed Subramani after receiving the bodies of J.S Rao, 57, and his sister Subhadra Madhava, 64. The victims from the city include S. Ramamurthi (75); R. Shyamala (65); Vishalakshmi (52); Raja (48); Sundrarajan (50); Balachandran (56); and Lakshmi Balachandran (51).

According to S. Jayalakshmi, an employee of `Sri Mahalakshmi Yathra Service,' who accompanied the pilgrims on the tour, villagers and military personnel at Joshimath rendered assistance at the accident site.