Caught between death, work

She was seen in front of the mortuary of Government Wenlock Hospital on Monday also, despite knowing that the body of D'Souza will not be handed over to her. Though three families have made claims over the body, she still seemed to be entertaining a ray of hope of getting help from the police.

Diana Fernandes is in a hurry to secure the body as she has to rush back to Bangalore and submit the census report to the government.  Speaking to Deccan Herald, she said: "I am a school teacher in Bangalore. I have been deployed on census work and have to submit the report to the government on May 28. Whether I should be working on the census sheets or take care of my sister who has lost her husband and waiting for the body to be handed over to the family. Will the government come to my rescue, if I say I can not submit the census report as I am struggling here to get the body of my brother-in-law? We could identify the body of the Ignatius from his shoes. Moreover, he was stout and his wife and children have identified the body."

"After identifying the body, the postmortem was also performed and the body was released to the family on Sunday. We had planned to hold the final rites on Monday. However, we had to return the body to the Wenlock Hospital authorities as two other families had claimed that it was their relative's," she informed.

"I have heard that another family too has claimed the same body. All we can to do is to wait for the DNA report. I really don't know how will I go back to Bangalore and submit the census report as just four days are left for the expiry of deadline," she added with a worried look on her face.

D'Souza, who was into catering business in Dubai for the last 25 years, is survived by his wife and two children.

Confusion

Likewise, relatives of Mohammed Ismail (28) of Mahakalipadpu have identified a body in the morgue. However, before the body was handed over to Ismail's relatives, a family from Kerala claimed that it was of their relative.

Ismail, a graphic designer in Sharjah, boarded the flight. His relative said: "we had identified the body. The family which had claimed the body later submitted an apology letter. However, it was too late. By that time, we had already given our blood samples for the DNA test. We have appealed to Mangalore Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar, elected representatives to impress upon the district administration to release the body. However, all our efforts are in vain," he added.