Simon’s family receives body

An emotional family received Indian cook P Simon’s body at the international cargo terminal on Friday.  Union minister of state for law and justice K Venkatapathy was also present.

Simon, alias P Vasu, of Brahmakondam in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, worked as a cook for Ciano International in Afghanistan. He was abducted in October and killed on February 8. But the abductors did not hand over the body. It was found by authorities recently.

Simon’s body was found in the Herat jungles recently. “The body arrived by an Air India domestic flight from Delhi. Immigration and customs officials had to clear it as the formalities were not completed in New Delhi. The passport of the deceased had to be cancelled. The flight arrived around 11 pm, but it took two hours to complete the formalities,” airport sources said.

Simon’s elder brother PG Subramanian, wife PS Vasanthi, children Nirmala and Ajit, sister and other relatives arrived to receive the body, which was immediately taken to his native village in an ambulance.

The family members, who appeared to be composed till the body arrived, broke down on seeing the sealed coffin. “It is unfortunate that Indians who go abroad to earn a living suffer such a fate,  Venkatapathy said.