Kuwait Fire Tragedy: The Indian embassy reported that out of the 176 Indian workers in the housing facility that caught fire, 45 have died and 33 are hospitalized.
The bodies of 45 Indian workers who died in a massive fire in Kuwait two days ago were repatriated this morning. An Indian Air Force special aircraft landed in Kochi, Kerala, delivering 31 bodies of workers from three southern states. The aircraft then proceeded to Delhi with the remaining 14 bodies.According to the Indian embassy in Kuwait, the victims included 23 from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three each from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, two from Odisha, and one each from Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Haryana.The bodies delivered to Kochi, including those of workers from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, were transported to their respective homes in ambulances.
Gonda MP Kirti Vardhan Singh, who rushed to Kuwait shortly after taking charge as a junior minister in the foreign ministry, noted that the paperwork, which would typically take at least 10 days, was expedited due to instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I would like to thank the authorities for their full cooperation and swift action in completing all necessary paperwork and identifications, which usually would have taken at least a week or ten days. On PM Modi’s instructions, the authorities acted quickly,” said the minister, who returned today on the special aircraft. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan were also present at the airport.
A massive fire erupted in a six-story building in Mangaf city on Wednesday, killing at least 48 people. According to the embassy, out of the 176 Indian workers in the housing facility, 45 died and 33 are hospitalized, with the rest reportedly safe.
Mr. Singh arrived in Kuwait on Thursday and visited five hospitals where injured Indian workers are being treated. He mentioned that most of them are likely to be discharged in a couple of days.
During his visit, the minister also met with the First Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, who assured him of full support and assistance in the early repatriation of the bodies. The minister stated that the bodies, charred beyond recognition, were identified through DNA testing. Authorities have identified 48 bodies, 45 of which are Indians and three Filipinos, according to a report quoting Mr. Al-Sabah.
PM Modi, who reviewed the tragic incident, announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of those who died in the Kuwait fire. The local administration in Kuwait is also investigating how more than 160 people were staying in the building.