UP mans body stranded in Jeddah for 7 months; mother-wife divided over last rites

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 Alams death only on August 24, Alams brother Aftab Alam said.

Since then the family has written to authorities requesting Alams body to be brought back for his burial in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, where he hailed from.

However, according to police, Alams wife, Farheen, has also given her permission to an acquaintance to perform her husbands 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 also handed them the consent letter given by the embassy to be signed by them.

Alams mother and brother then gave their consent to bring the body back.

At the moment, Alams body awaits burial and lies in a mortuary in Jeddah.

Aftab Alam, who lives in Mohammad Shah area under Kotwali Police Station of the city, told

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