NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — post-2003-war — journalists — Viewing Item

Us caskets get quiet burial { October 27 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=34168 http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=34168 Monday, October 27, 2003 National Network US caskets may get a quiet burial SAIKAT DATTA NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 26 Santosh Shivaji Patil of the Bombay Sappers, a mine-blast victim in Operation Parakram, was denied space on the lone Indian Airlines flight from Delhi to Pune on his final journey back home. The reason airline authorities gave was that the wooden casket containing his mortal remains was leaking. So while the remains of three of his colleagues were accepted, Patil’s remains were sent by a special coach attached to the Jhelum Express. The train reached on January 10, 2002, five days after he had been killed. Three years on, the Defence Ministry has procured 150 aluminum caskets at a cost of over Rs 1 crore from the United States but they have no takers. While the Army Headquarters is keen to replace their supply of wooden caskets with the reusable aluminium caskets, the political controversy over the ‘‘coffin scam’’ has ensured that the caskets remain buried in a remote Central Ordnance Depot in Delhi. Procured at a cost of $2,500 per casket, these caskets are far superior to the wooden coffins which the Army is using. They can be sealed hermetically and preserve the body after it has been embalmed. The United States military have been using reusable aluminum caskets since 1963. But, according to Army Headquarters sources, it is unlikely that they will ever be used. According to South Block sources, the Government has already recovered Rs 80 lakh from the brokers. Once the recovery is complete the caskets will most likely be sent back to the US. The Army reportedly continues to order wooden caskets for its casualties as the present lot is not reusable. The coffins, usually made of cheap wooden planks nailed together, are disposed of after use. The Army used such hermetically sealed aluminum caskets for the first time when it sent back the mortal remains of seven soldiers killed in Somalia. Since, Army headquarters were keen to procure similar caskets. In 1996, after consultation with the various Commands, Army headquarters projected a demand for 350 caskets. However, during the Kargil war, the demand was increased to 500 caskets with 150 being procured on emergency basis.

American releases 500 detainees including journalists { January 17 2006 } Casket photos released after mixup in military Clinton rule bans coffin media coverage { October 21 2003 } Cnn chief quits after journalists killed in iraq remark { February 11 2005 } Five journalists still detained in iraq { April 5 2005 } Iraqi cbs cameraman detained as threat to coalition { April 8 2005 } Italian says US deliberately targeted her Journalist kills with cluster bomblet Journalists dead iraq war { August 17 2003 } Pentagon keeps dead out of sight Pentagon limits funeral coverage { November 14 2003 } Pentagon releases some photos of troops coffins { April 28 2005 } Reuters cameraman killed for filming graves Reuters journalist detained after helicopter shot down { January 3 2004 } Reuters reporting obstructed by troops Soldier funeral [jpg] Spanish judge issues warrant for soldiers who killed journalists { April 8 2003 } Troops fire on freed journalist US admits killing arab journalists in iraq { March 29 2004 } US attack on italians was deliberate Us caskets get quiet burial { October 27 2003 } Us curbs press { June 19 2003 } Us forces detained two journalists { August 30 2003 } Woman fired over US coffins { April 23 2004 } Files Listed: 24

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.