Mortal remains of Kerala woman killed in Israel reaches India

New Delhi, May 15: The mortal remains of Soumya Santhosh, the Kerala woman who lost her life in the rocket attack on the Israeli city of Ashkelon, arrived in New Delhi on Saturday morning. Minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan along with Israeli deputy envoy Rony Yedidia Clein paid their last respects to the deceased in the national capital.

Taking to Twitter, Muraleedharan said, "With a heavy heart, received the mortal remains of Ms. Soumya Santhosh in Delhi and paid my last respects. CDA of Israel Embassy @RonyYedidia also joined. I empathise with the pain and sufferings of the family of Ms. Soumya. More strength to them."

On Friday, the minister of state had said that he will personally receive Ms Santhosh's mortal remains in Delhi. "The mortal remains of Ms Soumya Santhosh, who was killed in rocket attacks from Gaza, are being repatriated today from Israel to Kerala through Delhi. They will reach her native place tomorrow. I will personally be receiving the remains in Delhi. May her soul rest in peace," he had tweeted on Friday.

The Indian embassy in Israel, later on Friday night, confirmed that the aircraft carrying her mortal remains had taken off for New Delhi from Israel.

Soumya Santhosh was working as a caregiver to an elderly woman in the Israeli city of Ashkelon near the Gaza strip. Soumya's family said that she was living in Israel for seven years while her husband and their nine-year-old son stayed in Kerala.