Kochi: An aircraft carrying the mortal remains of the 45 Indians killed in a devastating fire in a building in Kuwait’s Mangaf reached the Cochin International Airport by 10.25 am on Friday. The C-130J transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force which started from Kuwait at 3.30am landed in Kerala first as most of the victims belong to the State. The aircraft is then expected to reach Delhi as some of the Indians killed are from a few north Indian states. Union Minister of State External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities ensuring swift repatriation, is onboard the aircraft.
At least 50 migrant workers including 45 Indians (24 Malayalis) were killed and 49 others injured in the blaze. Kuwaiti authorities have already conducted DNA tests on the bodies as part of the identification process. According to a press release issued by the Indian embassy, the deceased are from Kerala (23), Tamil Nadu (7), Andhra Pradesh (3), UP (3). Odisha (2), Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Haryana (1 each). Denny Baby from Kollam’s Karunagappally was not included in the list of Keralites. His funeral will take place in Mumbai. The immigration formalties of all 45 Indians will take place in Kochi. The mortal remains of 31 people-23 from Kerala, 7 from Tamil Nadu and 1 from Karnataka-will be handed over in Kochi. Thirty-three Indians are currently undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Kuwait.
Kerala CM to receive mortal remains
The mortal remains would be handed over to concerned State Government representatives in Kochi and Delhi. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and ministers will receive the remains in Kochi. Union Minister Suresh Gopi and VD Satheesan are also present at the airport.
Ambulances have been arranged to take the bodies of the victims to their respective homes. The respective authorities from each district will accept the mortal remains of the victims, Minister P Rajeeve said. Facilities have been arranged at the Nedumbassery Cargo Airport for the public to pay their respects to the departed.
“Arrangement have made to ensure that the bodies are shifted to the mortuary if the funeral is not scheduled for Friday,” Health Minister Veena George said.
The Centre had denied political clearance to Kerala Health Minister Veena George to visit Kuwait. The Kerala Lok Sabha event which was to take place on June 14 morning has been shifted to 3 pm today.
Short circuit likely reason for fire
Kuwaiti Fire Force said the deadly fire was caused by an “electrical circuit”. In a press statement, it said the conclusion was arrived at after examination of the scene of the incident, Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, serving as the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, and Minister of Defence, said that authorities have identified 48 bodies. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who reached Kuwait this morning, separately met the Gulf nation’s foreign minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Al-Sabah and Health Minister Ahmad Abdelwahab Ahmad Al-Awadi.
The Indian embassy in Kuwait said Foreign Minister Al-Yahya assured of full support including for medical care, early repatriation of mortal remains and investigation into the incident.
Prime Minister Modi reviewed the situation at a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Principal Secretary to PM PK Mishra among others. The prime minister announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased Indian nationals from the PM Relief Fund.
The fire in Al-Mangaf building was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am on Wednesday and most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, Kuwaiti media reported, adding the fire started in a kitchen. Construction firm NBTC group rented the building for the stay of more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states, the Kuwaiti media said. Interior Minister Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire incident and issued directions to apprehend the owner and janitor of Al-Mangaf building.
Kuwait fire victims (Kerala)
1. Arun Babu from Thiruvananthapuram
2. Nitin Koothur from Kannur
3. Thomas Oommen from Tiruvalla
4. Mathew Thomas from Alappuzha
5. Akash S Nair (23) from Pandalam, Pathanamthitta
6. KR Ranjith (34) from Chengala in Kasaragod
7. Saju Varghese (56) from Konni, Pathanamthitta
8. Kelu Ponmaleri (55) from Kasaragod
9. Stefin Abraham Sabu (29) from Kottayam’s Pampady
10. MP Bahulayan from Malappuram
11. Kuppante Purakkal Nooh from Kootayi, Tirur, Malappuram
12. Lukose aka Sabu (48) from Kollam’s Velichikala
13. Sajan George from Punalur, Kollam.
14. P V Muraleedharan from Vazhamuttom, Pathanamthitta
15. Viswas Krishnan from Dharmadom, Kannur
16. Umarudheen Shameer (33) from Kollam’s Pooyappally
17. Srihari Pradeep from Changanassery, Kottayam
18. Binoy Thomas from Chavakkad in Thrissur
19. Sreejesh Thankappan Nair
20. Sumesh Pillai Sundaran
21. Aneesh Kumar Unnankandi
22. Sibin Thevaroth Abraham (31) from Keezhvaipur, Pathanamthitta
23. Shibu Verghese
Kuwait fire victims (Other States)
1. Veerachami Mariappan – Tamil Nadu
2. Chinnadurai Krishnamurthy – Tamil Nadu
3. Sivashankar Govind – Tamil Nadu
4. Raju Abameesan – Tamil Nadu
5. Karuppanna Ramu – Tamil Nadu
6. Bunaf Richard Roy Ananda Manoharan – Tamil Nadu
7. Muhammad Sharif – Tamil Nadu
8. Satyanarayana Molletti – Andhra
9. Eshwarudu Meesala – Andhra
10. Lokanatham Tamada – Andhra
11. Sheo Shankar Singh – Bihar
12. Mohammed Jahore – Odisha
13. Santosh Kumar Gowda – Odisha
14. Vijayakumar Prasanna – Karnataka
15. Denny Baby Karunakaran – Maharashtra
16. Dwarikesh Patta Naik – Bengal
17. Praveen Madhav Singh – Uttar Pradesh
18. Jairam Gupta – Uttar Pradesh
19. Angad Gupta – Uttar Pradesh
20. MD Ali Hussain – Jharkhand
21. Anil Giri – Haryana
22. Himat Rai – Punjab
