Kochi: The body of Michi Marpu, a third-year BTech student from Arunachal Pradesh who died at Mar Athanasius College of Engineering in Kothamangalam, will be taken to his native place, Higher Education Minister Roji M John said on Monday.

The minister visited Kalamassery Medical College and met Marpu’s family members, assuring them of the government’s full support. Following his intervention with the college authorities, arrangements were completed to transport the student’s body to his hometown.

According to the minister, the body will be flown from Kochi to Delhi on an IndiGo flight (6E 2382) on Monday night. His body will then be taken to Itanagar on a connecting IndiGo flight on Tuesday, and is expected to reach Donyi Polo Airport around 3.30 pm.

Arrangements are also being made to provide an ambulance equipped with a mobile freezer at the Itanagar airport and transport the body to the family’s home in Ziro in Lower Subansiri district.

The Kerala government has been in communication with the Arunachal Pradesh government regarding the arrangements. An official letter has also been sent to the Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, the minister said.

Expressing grief over Marpu’s death, Roji M John said the loss of the third-year engineering student was deeply painful. He also conveyed his condolences to the student’s family, friends and classmates.