Family threatens self immolation before Putin over body of man died in Russia 5 months back

A Rajasthan tribal family, waiting for the body of their breadwinner who died in Russia five months back, has threatened self immolation before President Vladimir Putin, who will arrive Delhi on 6 December. Alleging that the Rajasthan government failed to help them out, the Garasiya family is now planning to protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi

New Delhi: A Rajasthan tribal family, waiting for the body of their breadwinner who died in Russia five months back, has threatened self immolation before President Vladimir Putin, who will arrive in Delhi on 6 December.

Hitendra Garasiya, a resident of Godwa village of Kherwara in Udaipur district, died on 17 July. It has been 5 months since his death, but the body has yet not reached India for funeral. Alleging that the Rajasthan government failed to help them out, the Garasiya family is now planning to protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

They demanded the authorities to bring back Garasiya's before Putin's visit or they would have to take the extreme step of killing themselves as they wanted to give him a cremation as per religious beliefs.

"If the Russian government tried to cremate him in Russia, then the whole family will self-immolate themselves in front of the Russian president on 6 December," threatened Urvashi, daughter of the deceased man.

Wife and children of Hitendra Garasiya, along with Charmesh Sharma, who helps the distressed Indians in abroad, visited the Russian Embassy in New Delhi on Thursday. The late man's wife handed over a memorandum addressed to Russian President Putin to the embassy officials demanding her husband's body to be brought back before the Russian president visit India.

Asha Devi and her daughter Urvashi got emotional while requesting the Russian embassy officials. Urvashi said, "I beg you with folded hand please help us in bring my father's body back."

Charmesh Sharma, said "It's been more than 140 days since Hitendra's death but till now Russian government has not sent the dead body. When we contacted the officials they said, "we will be cremating Hitendra in Russia only and regarding that, they also got permission from Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India".

"But according to the international laws and human rights laws laid down by the United Nations, if a person of any country dies anywhere, his body should be cremated in a respectful manner. There is a provision for sending it to his country. International laws are being openly violated by not sending the dead body of Hitendra Garasiya who belongs to poor tribal BPL family living in Udaipur, Rajasthan to India for the last rites," he said.

On Friday, family members and Charmesh Sharma, met the Deputy Commissioner of Police at New Delhi's Parliament Street police station area and sought permission for protesting at Jantar Mantar. Earlier, police officials said they will give the permission after two days, but considering the seriousness of the matter officials gave the permission to hold the protest.