39 Indians Killed in Iraq: 'Didn't Keep Nation in Dark, Received Final Confirmation Last Night', Says Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi, Mar 20: Countering the charges of Opposition, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj denied withholding the information on the death of 39 abducted Indians in Iraq, claiming that the final confirmation was received by her only on Monday night.

"I haven't kept the nation in dark. We received the final confirmation only last night. How could had I proclaimed them dead till all doubts were not cleared," Swaraj said.

Her reply came hours after the Congress accused her of misleading the bereaved families, by deliberately delaying the disclosure about their deaths.

"I would ask why was this information was delayed by the government, they should tell how it happened, when they died," former union minister Shashi Tharoor had said.

'Bodies recovered from a fort in Mosul'

Swaraj claimed the bodies of the kidnapped Indian workers were recovered from a fort in Mosul by an Iraq-based NGO, the Martyrs Foundation. The bodies were subsequently flown to Baghdad.

"The first signal came to us when our envoy in Baghdad said a total of 39 bodies were recovered from that fort in Mosul," the EAM said, further adding that the second major indication was the "long-hair" of the victims and "kada on their hands", which signalled that they were Sikhs.

'Last DNA confirmation only last night'

"We had send the DNA samples of either the mother or father of the missing Indians to the Martyrs Foundation. Over a period of time, we received updates on some DNA samples matching. But the last DNA confirmation was received only last night," Swaraj reiterated.

"Our envoy in Baghdad told us last night that 38 bodies have been identified," EAM said, clarifying that the sole remaining body of Bihar's Raju Yadav has not been "completely identified" as the DNA samples of both his mother and father could not be sent, as they have died.

"Based upon the DNA sample of one his close relative, the body has been identified upto 70 per cent. However, we cannot make the confirmation till 95 per cent identification is completed," she added.

'Bodies will not be brought to Delhi'

Swaraj said the bodies of victim belonging to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh would either be brought to Amritsar or Ludhiana. "Subsequently, Gen (retd) VK Singh would be taking the bodies to Patna, where the mortal remains of those hailing from Bihar will be handed over to their kin," she said, further adding that plane would then move to Kolkata.

Out of the 39 Indians killed, 27 belonged to Punjab, 4 from Himachal Pradesh, 6 from Bihar and 2 from West Bengal.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2018 04:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).