The Kerala High Court is intensifying its search for a missing Indian worker deported from Kuwait, as Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) officially stated it received no prior intelligence about his condition. This contradicts earlier government submissions, deepening the mystery around the disappearance of Suraj Lama, a Bengaluru native who vanished after landing in Kochi.
Airport Contradicts Government's Claim in Court
On Thursday, CIAL submitted a crucial statement before a bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and M B Snehalatha. The airport authority clarified that it had not received any information from the central government or its intelligence agencies regarding the deportation of Suraj Lama. This directly challenges the submission made by the government pleader a day earlier.
During the previous hearing, the government counsel had informed the court that when Lama was sent to India from Kuwait, the airport manager was alerted by central intelligence that the deportee lacked proper cognitive capacity. The court, taking note of this serious claim, had sought clarification from CIAL, which has now firmly denied it.
A Father's Disappearance and a Son's Legal Battle
The court is hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Santon Lama, the son of the missing man, desperately seeking to locate his father. The petition outlines a tragic sequence of events. Suraj Lama had been working in Kuwait for several years. After reportedly consuming toxic liquor, he suffered from acute toxic leukoencephalopathy, a severe brain disorder caused by alcohol poisoning. This led to memory loss and disorientation.
He was deported to Kochi's international airport on October 5. Following his arrival, he was reportedly seen at various locations in and around the city. The situation took a confusing turn when the Thrikkakara police allegedly took him into custody on October 8. He was later admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kalamassery. Since then, his whereabouts have remained completely unknown, prompting his son to approach the highest court in the state.
Court Demands Proof and Awaits DNA Report
Faced with the contradictory statements from the airport and the government lawyer, the High Court on Thursday asked the government pleader to substantiate his original claim about the intelligence alert. The court has adjourned the matter to Friday for further proceedings.
In a parallel and potentially grim development, police have discovered an unidentified, decomposed male body in marshy land near the Government Medical College in Kalamassery. Authorities are currently awaiting a DNA analysis report to determine if the body has any connection to the missing Suraj Lama case. This awaited forensic result could provide a tragic resolution to the family's agonizing wait.
The case highlights critical gaps in communication and handling of vulnerable individuals during international deportations, raising serious questions about procedural safeguards.
