Ranchi, Sep 30 (PTI) The bodies of two yoga instructors from Jharkhand, who were killed in a road accident in Vietnam, are likely to be brought back to India this week with the help of the Indian community in the southeast Asian country, an official said here on Wednesday.
Raja Kumar (24) from Ranchi and Vinay Kumar Rai (25) from Jamshedpur, who were teaching yoga in Adi Yoga Academy in Vietnam’s Da Lat City, died after their two-wheeler collided with a car on September 25, the official said.
“On September 25, we got information that my son died in an accident in Vietnam. He had last visited Ranchi two-three months back. Five days have already passed, but his body is still there. We want his mortal remains to be brought back at the earliest,” Kumar’s father Umesh Verma said.
Verma, who is an electrician by profession, said, “My son was the one looking after the family and sending money to us.”
Kumar’s mother Rupa Devi said, “We were told that lakhs of rupees were needed to bring his body back. But our financial condition is not good. So, we urge the government to help us out.”
The team head of the state Labour Department’s Jharkhand Migration Cell, Sikha Lakra, said the process of bringing back the bodies has been initiated and the mortal remains are likely to arrive this week.
She said since both the instructors had gone to Vietnam in their personal capacity and they were not regular employees, families need to bear the cost of bringing the bodies back.
“To help the families, the Indian community in Vietnam has extended financial help to send the bodies. Upon the arrival of the mortal remains, the state government will provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin as per provisions,” she added.
Rai’s family members in Jamshedpur were also waiting anxiously for the arrival of his body for completion of last rites.
The deceased’s father Ramesh Rai said his son’s friends and Indians in Vietnam have pooled in funds required for bringing back the body.
“They have pooled in Rs 20 lakh required for bringing the bodies back to India. We want the Indian Embassy to hurry up and complete the formalities so that the bodies can be brought back to India at the earliest,” Ramesh Rai, a resident of Shastri Nagar in Jamshedpur, said.
Ramesh Rai said his son had gone to Vietnam two years back.
The deceased’s cousin Abhijit Rai, who lives in Vietnam, said the police will issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) soon and they have already received the death certificate.
Speaking to PTI over the phone, he said, “Now, it is for the Indian Embassy to put pressure on the local authorities for early return of the bodies.” PTI SAN/RPS/ANB ACD
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