Ajman (UAE): Ashraf “Sherry” Thamarassery, an Indian from Kerala helped repatriation of Sridevi’s mortal remains from United Arab Emirates to back home.
Listed only as “ASHRAF” on the official paperwork in Dubai, the 44-year-old helped sign out the actor’s remains to return home.
Not just Sridevi, he become a ferryman of sorts for those who die here in the UAE and has helped repatriate 4,700 bodies to 38 countries across the globe.
“For them, you or me, it’s all the same and everyone is equal. If someone dies in their room, they will take them to the hospital and then to be checked at the police mortuary,” Thamarassery, told The Associated Press in an interview late last night. “It’s the same process, whether Dubai or Sharjah or any emirate. … Whether you’re poor or rich, it doesn’t matter.”
Sherry, a mechanic by profession is known for his philanthropic activities in the expatriate community.
He offered shrugs when talking about the Mom actor, saying he helped repatriate five other bodies on Tuesday, including the famed Bollywood star’s.
I do this “to earn blessings, but also when someone dies here, people don’t know how to manage the repatriation procedures,” he said. “That’s why I do it.”
The death certificate issued to Sridevi’s family by the authorities in Dubai also had a mention of Ashraf Thamarassery’s name.
Here's the embalming certificate of #Sridevi ji. And they who reported live from the Embalming centre and showed off her coffin…well…get a life!!! pic.twitter.com/koQEfRCFyt
— Faridoon Shahryar (@iFaridoon) February 27, 2018
The 54-year-old actress known as Indian cinema’s first woman superstar was in Dubai to attend a family wedding died February 24.
At first it was reported that she died of cardiac arrest, triggering questions and disbelief. However, it later emerged that she had died from “accidental drowning” in the bathtub in her room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel after losing consciousness.
As more speculation swirled, the Dubai government’s media office said in a series of tweets that the case is now closed.
With agencies inputs