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| Family of girl who died suddenly in India seek answers over missing organs | Family of girl who died suddenly in India seek answers over missing organs |
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| The family of an eight-year-old British girl who died suddenly in India after being admitted to hospital for dehydration are demanding answers after her body was returned to the UK with her organs missing. | The family of an eight-year-old British girl who died suddenly in India after being admitted to hospital for dehydration are demanding answers after her body was returned to the UK with her organs missing. |
| Gurkiren Kaur Loyal, from Birmingham, described as the soul of her family, died seconds after being injected with an unknown liquid at the clinic in Khanna, in the Punjab on 2 April, her family said. | Gurkiren Kaur Loyal, from Birmingham, described as the soul of her family, died seconds after being injected with an unknown liquid at the clinic in Khanna, in the Punjab on 2 April, her family said. |
| The Birmingham coroner's office opened an inquest in April after her body was repatriated but said major organs were missing, making it impossible to determine a cause of death. | The Birmingham coroner's office opened an inquest in April after her body was repatriated but said major organs were missing, making it impossible to determine a cause of death. |
| Gurkiren's mother, Amrit Kaur Loyal, 50, said: "I feel extremely angry; I want answers. We just want to know what was in the syringe. The first step is getting her organs back and then, then, if they are her original organs we will take legal procedures against the clinic. I want justice." | Gurkiren's mother, Amrit Kaur Loyal, 50, said: "I feel extremely angry; I want answers. We just want to know what was in the syringe. The first step is getting her organs back and then, then, if they are her original organs we will take legal procedures against the clinic. I want justice." |
| She said her daughter, a school councillor, was bright, jolly and "the soul of our family". | She said her daughter, a school councillor, was bright, jolly and "the soul of our family". |
| The Loyals' constituency MP, Shabana Mahmood, has written to the UK Foreign Office asking it to petition the Indian authorities for the immediate return of Gurkiren's organs. Mahmood described the circumstances of death as very suspicious. | The Loyals' constituency MP, Shabana Mahmood, has written to the UK Foreign Office asking it to petition the Indian authorities for the immediate return of Gurkiren's organs. Mahmood described the circumstances of death as very suspicious. |
| Gurkiren was on her first holiday abroad over the Easter break with her parents and 17-year-old brother. Before being given the injection at the clinic, she was sitting up with a drip attached, talking to her family about what presents to buy for her cousin, her mother said. But after the assistant injected her, ignoring repeated questions as to what was in the syringe, her head fell back, her eyes rolled in her head and the colour drained from her, she said. Gurkiren was transferred to a nearby hospital but it was too late to save her. | Gurkiren was on her first holiday abroad over the Easter break with her parents and 17-year-old brother. Before being given the injection at the clinic, she was sitting up with a drip attached, talking to her family about what presents to buy for her cousin, her mother said. But after the assistant injected her, ignoring repeated questions as to what was in the syringe, her head fell back, her eyes rolled in her head and the colour drained from her, she said. Gurkiren was transferred to a nearby hospital but it was too late to save her. |
| Her family initially resisted a postmortem examination being carried out in India, having heard horror stories about the removal of organs, but were told an autopsy was obligatory before the body could be released to the UK. | Her family initially resisted a postmortem examination being carried out in India, having heard horror stories about the removal of organs, but were told an autopsy was obligatory before the body could be released to the UK. |
| Her mother said they still only consented after receiving assurances that only small samples of tissues would be removed. However, she said that when the body was returned to the UK, the Birmingham coroner called her with the devastating news that all of Gurkiren's organs were missing except her eyes. | Her mother said they still only consented after receiving assurances that only small samples of tissues would be removed. However, she said that when the body was returned to the UK, the Birmingham coroner called her with the devastating news that all of Gurkiren's organs were missing except her eyes. |
| Mahmood said suspicions over the death have been compounded by the Indian documentation accompanying the body, which referred only to small samples of the organs being removed. The Birmingham Ladywood MP said that organ removal without consent was an issue of concern on the Indian subcontinent but there was no evidence to suggest that Gurkiren's organs had been sold. However, she warned that if they were not returned there would be "more serious questions to answer". | Mahmood said suspicions over the death have been compounded by the Indian documentation accompanying the body, which referred only to small samples of the organs being removed. The Birmingham Ladywood MP said that organ removal without consent was an issue of concern on the Indian subcontinent but there was no evidence to suggest that Gurkiren's organs had been sold. However, she warned that if they were not returned there would be "more serious questions to answer". |
| Birmingham councillor Narinder Kooner, who is also a friend of the Loyal family, said that since the case emerged lots of people had come forward saying they had experienced a similar ordeal after a family member had died abroad, including cases relating to Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Caribbean: "It's horrific what's happened to this family. No mother, no parent should have to go through that," she said. | Birmingham councillor Narinder Kooner, who is also a friend of the Loyal family, said that since the case emerged lots of people had come forward saying they had experienced a similar ordeal after a family member had died abroad, including cases relating to Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Caribbean: "It's horrific what's happened to this family. No mother, no parent should have to go through that," she said. |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said it was not an uncommon thing for bodies to return with some organs missing, although it does not hold figures. He would not comment directly on Gurkiren's case other than to confirm her death. Mahmood said she was still awaiting a reply from the Foreign Office. | A Foreign Office spokesman said it was not an uncommon thing for bodies to return with some organs missing, although it does not hold figures. He would not comment directly on Gurkiren's case other than to confirm her death. Mahmood said she was still awaiting a reply from the Foreign Office. |
| The Birmingham coroner has also written to the Foreign Office asking that it contact the Indian authorities and ask for the organs to be returned. | The Birmingham coroner has also written to the Foreign Office asking that it contact the Indian authorities and ask for the organs to be returned. |
| Gurkiren's mother said: "I am not just fighting for Gurkiren, I'm fighting for all families this has happened to. If we don't crack down on it, it's going to continue." | Gurkiren's mother said: "I am not just fighting for Gurkiren, I'm fighting for all families this has happened to. If we don't crack down on it, it's going to continue." |
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