Usually, three bodies are repatriated to Trichy a week. ![]() ![]() C P Mathew, the chief coordinator of the Valley of Love, an NGO based in the UAE which works among the less fortunate, told TOI over telephone from Dubai, “Kochi international airport receives at least two bodies from the UAE every day which is the highest in the country. Cargo authorities said at least 27-30 coffins arrive here in a month, which are then handed over to the relatives after mandatory verification. Since Trichy is a vital connection point for the central districts as well as the southern regions of Tamil Nadu, the bodies mostly arrive at the airport here. Unfortunately, most die with their dreams unfulfilled. The bodies mostly arrive from Middle Eastern countries and Singapore and sometimes from other countries too, after a long transit at several destinations.” In most cases, the dead bodies are of labourers and domestic helps coming from poor rural hamlets who go abroad to make some money. A senior air cargo official seeking anonymity said, “There are days when at least four to five coffins make it to the cargo complex, arriving from abroad. Trichy airport, which is primarily an exporting centre, very little imports are made through it. In 2013-14 alone, it received a total of 270 bodies as compared to 250 in the previous year. According to data obtained from air cargo authorities, the maximum tonnage of imports recorded by the airport is through transporting dead bodies. The bodies are brought in only by two airlines - Air India Express and Sri Lankan Airlines. ![]() Most dead bodies come from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar) and Singapore. On an average, at least 300 bodies are received by the airport per year, which are then transported to several destinations across the central and southern districts. TRICHY: The rise in exports through its international airport certainly gives Trichy much to cheer about, but unfortunately it also has earned another “unwanted” reputation, with the number of coffins arriving from several countries here steadily increasing over the years.
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