Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Sanjeev Arora facilitates repatriation of Pathankot man’s remains from Romania
Chandigarh, October 23, 2025:
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister Sanjeev Arora has facilitated the repatriation of the mortal remains of 32-year-old Kuldeep Kumar of Sujanpur, Pathankot, who died earlier this month in Timisoara, Romania. The family was informed of his death on October 3 by colleague Shamsher Singh, following which Kuldeep’s brother, Hira Singh, wrote to authorities seeking government assistance.
After Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak forwarded the family’s plea, Arora promptly wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Embassy of India in Bucharest to expedite the process. In his communication, Arora said the family was in profound grief and requested urgent facilitation to bring the remains home for last rites, while also urging coordination among MEA, the Indian mission, and the Romanian authorities.
The Embassy of India in Bucharest subsequently informed that it was in constant touch with the family and Romanian officials. Sitesh Kumar, Second Secretary (Consular), assured the mission was working to complete formalities at the earliest. On October 22, Bibhuti Pandey, Under Secretary in the External Affairs Minister’s Office, conveyed that a funeral agency had been finalized to manage the repatriation; the agency later confirmed it had taken custody of the remains and secured the necessary documentation in Timisoara.
The coordinated efforts of Punjab’s NRI Affairs Department, MEA, and the Indian Embassy in Romania have brought relief to the bereaved family awaiting the return of Kuldeep Kumar’s remains for his final rites. The case underscores the state government’s support mechanisms for Punjabis abroad in times of distress under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.