Udupi: Following the death of nurse Hezel Josna Quadras in unknown circumstances in Saudi Arabia, the Karnataka State NRI Forum has written to the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in India for the speedy shifting of the body to her native place in Udupi.
Hezel, wife of Ashwin Mathias from Kuthyar village in Udupi district, was working as nurse at Mikhwa General Hospital, Almikhwa, Albaha region in Saudi Arabia. Ashwin resides in Kuthyar and his wife was in Saudi Arabia.
Family members received a phone call from her colleague that Hezel had died on July 20. They were told that the body would be handed over to them once the investigation was completed. However the cause of her death is not clear to the family yet.
On receiving this information, Congress MLC Ivan D'Souza immediately wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
“The minister replied assuring me that she would contact the embassy. I also sent a mail to the PMO who forwarded it to the Saudi Embassy. On Saturday I met Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and handed over a request to the CM who is also the chairman of the NRI Forum. I also gave a letter to Member Secretary Dr K Muralidhara with a request to bring the body to Udupi at the earliest,” Ivan D'Souza told Deccan Chronicle.
Dr Muralidhara immediately sent a letter to the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia and the secretary, ministry of external affairs stating that Hezel is learnt to have died in unknown circumstances and requested them to get in touch with the authorities.
“All officials and ministers have reacted positively,” he said.
“She was a strong, dedicated woman and there is no possibility of her committing suicide. Let there be a proper probe but the body should be handed over to the family members at the earliest,” he said adding that Rs 50,000 would be given by NRI Forum to the family of Hezel.
