Bodies of Pathankot attackers still in mortuary after autopsy

A week on since National Investigation Agency (NIA) handed these over to Punjab Police for autopsy, the bodies of six Pakistani terrorists behind the January 2 attack on the airbase remain in the civil hospital mortuary.

A week on since National Investigation Agency (NIA) handed these over to Punjab Police for autopsy, the bodies of six Pakistani terrorists behind the January 2 attack on the airbase remain in the civil hospital mortuary.

The bodies of six Pakistani terrorists behind the January 2 attack on the airbase remain in the civil hospital mortuary. (Representative Photo)

Maybe the police are waiting for Interpol to come in and help with identifying the terrorists after re-examining the bodies. On January 7, a panel of six doctors performed autopsy on four full bodies and two charred ones, and sent viscera samples to Chandigarh Forensic Science Laboratory, which is yet to send its report. Dr Tarsem Singh, who led the post-mortem-examination team, declined to pass on the details, yet a health department official said even the charred parts recovered from the airbase after the encounter should be enough to identity the dead terrorists.

Asked why the bodies had not been cremated after autopsy, Pathankot senior superintendent of police (SSP) RK Bakshi said the NIA was handling the matter and cremation could happen only on its instructions.