There is no law above the dignity of a human being. Human rights must be taken care of whatever the processes and procedures involved. It is equally, or even more important to respect a person who is dead, irrespective of whether he or she was an accused or convicted of a crime. This human touch seems missing in the case of Pawan Kumar, the 26-year-old software engineer, who died in New Jersey, USA recently.
In Pawan’s case, nothing has been proved so far and there’s only a load of conjecture. It is wrong to pass value judgement when the man is dead and cannot defend himself. It is also wrong not to allow him the dignified end he deserves on any such grounds. In most cultures, there is a certain sanctity attached to mourning. But it is absolutely heart-wrenching to see Pawan’s family waiting for days to receive his body. When the family has lost a dear one and his parents, a young son, they shouldn’t have to deal with a long wait to see his body. This just adds to the irrevocable loss they have suffered. It is important for the government to have laws that redress the immediate family’s grievances as the routine processes continue. We need laws that speak from the heart, especially as this is not a one-off case.
For every case that comes to light, there are plenty of others that go unreported and unnoticed. The case that gets the attention of the media and the authorities sees speedy disposal, but the others struggle with processes. Therefore, there must be a standard policy. The ministry of external affairs has a huge role to play here. It must insist that all bilateral treaties and all international laws respect the rights of human beings both dead and alive and must also fix a time frame within which the body of someone who has died abroad is handed over to the family.
— The writer is the founder of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, a Bengaluru based private-label consulting firm that specialises in brand and business strategy