Plane crash victim’s families express grief

Plane crash victim’s families express grief

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 21, 2011: Expressing her grief over the death of her husband Somashekar Kotian, Veena Somashekar said on the occasion of the multi-faith condolence meeting organized by the Mangalore Plane Crash Victims’ Families Association today at Bishop Jathanna Auditorium said that Air India has not compensated her in any way. She added that AI had refused to pay the compensation he deserved.

Pradeep Kotian, one of the survivors of the crash, who had arrived for his brother’s marriage, said that he has still not received any job promised by the AI although it is one year after the tragic incident. He said that he has still not recovered. Stating that he used to work as a technician in Dubai, he said that he had lost his Dubai job because of his ill-health and has no means of livelihood as AI has not kept its promise. He said he has received a compensation of Rs. 2.5 lakh from AI and the central government. 

Sharing his experiences, Abdulla Puttur, another survivor said that AI made a public announcement that it would provide jobs for the plane crash survivors and cancelled the offer after 8 months. He said that although he tried to get another job in Dubai, he was still unemployed. 

Shaheena, the wife of Rafeeq Ahmed, who died in the plane crash, said that she quietly took whatever compensation was given to her because she has to raise 3 children. 

Expressing his sorrow at losing his sister and her 3 children, Abbun said that the AI has not even bothered to get in touch with the family to discuss compensation issues. After the luggage was recovered, they gave Rs. 900 and two children’s dresses, but the family declined to receive it as it did not belong to them. He said that the bodies were kept in the morgue for 3 days till the husband of the deceased arrived, but AI did not even bother to pay the morgue fees. 

Speaking further, Abbun said that nothing has been done although the media has supported the victims and their families a lot after the plane crash. He blamed not the media, but the government for the injustice meted out to the victims’ families. Alleging that the AI paid out compensations as per financial status, he alleged that the AI, which received around Rs. 300 crore from insurance companies, has given away only Rs. 3 crore of it as compensation. 

Alleging that rules get automatically changed if a minister’s son dies in the air crash, he said that the victims families are fighting not for the AI’s money, but for money that rightfully belongs to those who lost their loved ones in the crash. He also said that the victims’ families have started an anti AI campaign among their friends and family members.