Family of dead man open his coffin to find woman's body inside

Father appalled to discover female corpse upon opening casket

Police confirmed mistake over body (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The family of an Indian man who died in Saudi Arabia were shocked to find the body of a woman inside a coffin sent back home for his burial, media in India have reported.

A 29-year-man from the state of Kerela named Rafeeq died of a heart attack while working in the Gulf state last month.

His family believed the remains had been safely returned, but Rafeeq’s father Razak was appalled to discover a dead female body when he opened the casket shortly before his son’s burial on 20 March.

“The body of Rafeeq, who passed away on February 28 in Saudi Arabia, arrived late last night,” a police official in Konni, where the family live, told the Hindustan Times.

“When the family opened the casket, they found the body was of a lady, believed to be a Sri Lankan. The police have been notified.”

One police official told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that the unfortunate mix-up could have occurred at the cargo section of a Saudi airport.

The woman’s body has since been moved to Kerela’s Kottayam Medical College Hospital, with arrangements being made to send her home to Sri Lanka.

After Rafeeq’s family filed a petition with the police and the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia is reportedly making efforts to locate his body and send it home.

The 29-year-old man is survived by his father, mother, wife and four-year-old son, according to the Deccan Chronicle.