Kathmandu, September 1
The Nepal government has set up the required process for returning the bodies of foreign nationals killed in last week’s devastating flood to their families.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued a press release on Tuesday explaining the procedure set by the Nepal government.
The 9 steps of body handover
According to Nepal government standards, the following nine steps must be completed before a foreign national’s body can be handed over to their family:
- Preparing documentation related to the body.
- Recording photographs and other details of the body.
- Conducting a post-mortem examination.
- Confirming the cause of death.
- Establishing formal identification of the body.
- Collecting fingerprints, DNA, or forensic samples.
- Verifying the deceased’s passport or identification documents.
- Completing embassy or consular coordination.
- Completing the process of body handover and receipt.
The first four of these steps, from preparing documentation to confirming the cause of death, will be completed by Nepal government officials.
Identification and temporary management of bodies
According to the release, relatives or family members of the deceased can identify bodies based on photographs and details available on the Nepal Police website (udb.nepalpolice.gov.np). Once identification is confirmed this way, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu will coordinate with local authorities to help receive the body and send it back to the home country.
To prevent the public health risks that could arise from the large number of bodies, the Nepal government has managed them by temporarily and safely burying them. To identify such bodies, DNA matching with the deceased’s first-degree relatives will be required.
DNA matching process
For bodies that cannot be identified or have been temporarily buried, the Nepal government will facilitate DNA matching. Nepali authorities are collecting samples from the bodies to prepare DNA profiles of the deceased.
Relatives can send their DNA profiles to the Nepal Police email dnacodis@nepalpolice.gov.np or provide a blood sample.
Contact and helpline numbers
For more information on this and to understand DNA profiling, the Nepal Police helpline number +977 984-1616095 can be contacted.
