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PremiumKuwait Fire Highlights: A specialized Indian Air Force plane transporting the mortal remains of Indian nationals affected by the Kuwait fire incident landed at Cochin International Airport.
Union Minister of State VK Singh, who promptly travelled to Kuwait on Thursday, accompanied the bodies on the flight.
At least 45 Indians died in the massive fire that broke out in a labour accommodation in Kuwait's Mangaf on 12 June. This includes 23 from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and one each from Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal.
Kuwaiti authorities completed DNA testing on the deceased before handing over their remains to Indian officials for repatriation.
According to the Kuwaiti Fire Force, the tragic fire was attributed to an electrical circuit malfunction, as stated in a press release following an investigation of the incident site, as reported by Kuwaiti news agency KUNA.
Authorities confirmed the identities of 45 Indian and three Filipino victims of the fire, which engulfed the Al-Mangaf building in the Al-Ahmadi governorate. The blaze, first reported to authorities at 4:30 am on Wednesday, resulted in numerous fatalities primarily due to smoke inhalation, with reports indicating it originated in a kitchen.
“We are so sorry. We are so sorry. I was crying in my house. I know most of them. There were people working with us for more than 27 years. What happened was really unfortunate. This was not any mistake on our part, but still we will take responsibility. They were living and working with us. They built the company. They are our family. We will soon disperse ₹eight lakh as compensation and they will also receive the company insurance amount. We are concerned about the families and will support them and provide jobs," said K G Abraham, MD of Kuwait-based NBTC Group.
Authorities in Kuwait have reportedly launched a crackdown on illegal property extensions following the devastating fire. The incident had also triggered calls for action against real estate landlords and company owners who violate the law to house large numbers of foreign labourers in extremely unsafe conditions to cut costs.
According to the Arab Times newspaper, the Kuwait Municipality has launched a rigorous crackdown on illegal property extensions.
The mortal remains of Denny Karunakaran reached Mumbai on Saturday. His body was received by his family at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport around 3.45 am. His father Baby Kutty said Denny had travelled to Kuwait four years ago and was an accounts and sales coordinator with NBTC.
"I spoke to him around two months ago, and we had planned to fix his marriage. I met him two years ago, he was looking to buy a flat and was working hard. His death has come as a shock to his family, friends and neighbours," the distraught father said.
The newly sworn-in Deputy Chief Ministers of Odisha and other leaders paid their respects as the bodies of two victims arrived in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
“It is a tragic incident. They (victims) were working there to support their families. Such a tragic incident is a matter of concern for the world. Odisha CM has announced ex gratia of ₹4 lakh from his relief fund for the victims' families and has asked us to receive the mortal remains," said Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo.
"Two people from Odisha died in the Kuwait fire incident. The state government has announced ex gratia of Rs. 4 lakh for the victim's families... We will try to create employment opportunities here. So, the people will not have to leave Odisha for employment," added Pravati Parida.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: Deputy Chief Ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida received the bodies of two persons from Odisha- Muhammad Jahur and Santosh Kumar Gouda- who died in the fire tragedy in Kuwait, reported PTI.
The mortal remains arrived at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on Saturday morning. and paid floral tributes. The bodies were honoured with floral tributes and were later taken to their native villages for the observance of last rites.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said, "We demand from the state government that compensation of minimum ₹10 lakhs should be given to the victim's family and sponsor the education of the 14-year-old daughter of the deceased who has to appear in the board exams next year," reported ANI.
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Kuwait Fire LIVE: The remains of Dwarikesh Pattanayak arrived at Kolkata airport on Saturday morning. The victim of the Kuwait fire tragedy was resident of the Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal. West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose and BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and others paid their final respects to the deceased.
"The state government will do everything required," ANI quoted Sujit Bose as saying.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: In the recent update on the Kuwait fire incident, the Indian Air Force's C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, bearing the mortal remains of those who died in the Kuwait fire incident, landed at Palam Technical Airport on Friday, 14 June. BJP MPs Yogendra Chandolia, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Bansuri Swaraj, among other dignitaries, were in attendance at the airport to receive the mortal remains.
Kuwait Fire LIVE:: Brother one of the victims in Kuwait Fire incident, Vikas Singh said, “We have some known person there. We got the information from them. Later, we checked the news. Yesterday, we got the confirmation," reported PTI . Praveen Madhav Singh-the victim, whose brother gave the above statement, hailed from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: Director Of Company-KGA - Indian Operations Of NBTC Group, KC Eapen said, “This unfortunate incident has happened and police have investigated and concluded that it was a short circuit."
He added, "Compensation is much above than the normal norms because we are a 40-year-old company. We consider all our staff as family members and it's a big loss for us," reported ANI.
KC Eapen's brother said, "We are giving ₹8 lakhs to each family of the deceased, ₹2 lakhs to those who are injured, along with that we are taking care of all the medical expenses."
Kuwait Fire LIVE: On Friday, thirty-one bodies of victims-23 from Kerala, 7 from Tamil Nadu and one from Karnataka were brought to Kochi in Kerala via a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said, "Usually it takes 10-15 days, but at the request of PM Modi and EAM Jaishankar, we have been able to bring the mortal remains of those 45 Indian nationals," reported ANI.
"It is a very sad incident," he added noting that PM Modi was worried when he got to know about the incident and urgently called a meeting and sent us to Kuwait.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: Indian Embassy in Kuwait in a post on X on Friday said, "The Embassy team @indembkwt visited all 5 hospitals where injured Indians in the recent tragic fire-incident are receiving medical treatment."
Kuwait Fire LIVE: A team from the Indian Embassy visited all five hospitals to check on the 25 Indians who were injured in the recent fire incident in Kuwait's Mangaf, and inquired about their health status.
Kuwait Fire LIVE: Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs, MoS George Kurian said, “It is very sad. Most of the people from Kerala go to Gulf countries for work... We have lost 23 people from Kerala, 7 from Tamil Nadu and 1 from Karnataka. 31 bodies have arrived here today," reported ANI.
He added, I express my condolences to them... 30 people are in hospital but they are stable... States have announced compensation for the families of the deceased... This is not the time for politics but to stand with the affected families."
Kuwait Fire LIVE: Ebamesan Raju who hailed from Tamil Nadu's Navalpattu was among one of the victims of Kuwait fire incident. His mortal remains were brought to his native village on June 14. He was employed as a heavy vehicle driver in Kuwait.
“This unfortunate incident has happened and police have investigated and concluded that it was a short circuit...Compensation is much above than the normal norms because we are a 40-year-old company. We consider all our staff as family members and it's a big loss for us," said KC Eappen, the Director Of Company-KGA - Indian Operations Of NBTC Group.
“We are giving ₹8 lakhs to each family of the deceased, ₹2 lakhs to those who are injured, along with that we are taking care of all the medical expenses," his brother added.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the demise of two people from the state. The CM has announced a compensation of ₹2 Lakh each for the bereaved families.
“Kalu Kha from Darbhanga Bihar was working in Kuwait passed away in the tragic fire accident in the NBTC building. I have spoken to Mr. Rajpal Tyagi, who is working closely with @indembkwt. He's informed me that they are still in the process of identifying the victims' remains. Hope the govt takes necessary urgent steps to assist the deceased's family," he wrote on X.
"The interests of the citizens of India are safeguarded by the Government of India, so I really don't see why a particular state minister has to travel to a foreign country to take care of the issues of the people of that state," Muraleedharan told ANI.
A C-130J aircraft carrying the 45 bodies landed at the Kochi international airport around 10.30 am. Thirty-one bodies were received at the airport by Central and state ministers, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The remaining 14 bodies were sent to Delhi in the same aircraft as a domestic flight from Kochi, airport authorities in Kerala said.
A pall of gloom descended on Sapaha village in Bihar’s Gopalganj district upon receiving the news of the death of Sheo Shanker Singh. He had gone to Kuwait ten months ago to work as a skilled labourer. He is survived by his wife, and two sons -Mukesh Kumar Singh (20) and Abhishekh Kumar Singh (15).
His eldest son — currently pursuing higher studies in Bhopal — reached his village on Friday after receiving the information.
“After the tragic incident, my family and I tried to contact my father on Wednesday….But, he was not responding to our calls. We came to know about the death of my father yesterday only. We are completely shattered by the news. The last time I spoke to him was on Monday around 7 pm...My father was the sole bread earner of our family," Mukesh said.
The Centre's denial of permission to Kerala Health Minister Veena George to travel to Kuwait to coordinate relief efforts was criticised by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Congress-led opposition on Friday, while Governor Arif Mohammed Khan backed the decision.
"It is with a heavy heart that I learnt of the tragic fire incident in a building that housed many #Indian workers in #Kuwait, leading to the loss of many precious lives. The prompt response by the Governments of India and Kuwait is admirable. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I also pray for the speedy recovery of those who were injured," Moosa Zameer said in a post shared on X.
Lokanandam had come from Kuwait for the recently concluded elections and other engagements. He died in the building fire on the same day that he returned tot he West Asian country.
Santosh Kumar Gouda hailed from Ranajhalli village in Purosottampur block of Ganjam district, while Muhammad Jahur was a native of Karadapalli village in Tigiria police station area in Cuttack district. They were working for a private company and residing in the seven-storey apartment building in Mangaf in southern Kuwait where the fire broke out early on Wednesday morning. Officials said that their mortal remains would be brought to Odisha from Delhi by Friday evening.
Jahur's family members said he was married for only two years and his wife was seven-months pregnant. He had been working in Kuwait since 2017 and had visited his village only a month ago.
Gouda had visited his village in March and had returned to Kuwait in April.
“Many people lost their lives in the terrible fire in Kuwait. The news of the death of two Odia sons Muhammad Jahur and Santosh Kumar Gouda is very sad. I offer my condolences to the bereaved family and pray to Lord Jagannath to give peace to the departed souls," Mohan Charan Majhi said in an X post.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday acknowledged the efforts on the part of the Government of India and that of Kuwait in their intervention following the fire tragedy in Kuwait in which 45 Indians lost their lives.
Speaking to reporters before the flight's landing, the Chief Minister said, "It is a never-ending loss for the families... The Government of Kuwait has taken effective and impeccable measures. It is expected that the follow-up will be flawless. When it came to know about the disaster, the Government of India also intervened in a proper manner in the case of those who died in the Kuwait disaster." (ANI)
Forty-year-old Praveen Madhav Singh, a native of Varanasi's Shivpur, spoke to his family a day before he died in a devastating fire in Kuwait.
Praveen had been working in the Middle Eastern country for the last 15 years and talked to his family on a video call a day before the June 12 tragic incident that claimed lives of at lease 49 migrant workers and injured 50 others.
His cousin Vikas Singh said that Praveen’s father Jaiprakash Singh works in a coal mine in Jharkhand while his wife Roopa and two daughters live in Shivpur’s Chhataripur. (PTI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid floral tributes to the bodies of the victims of the fire tragedy in Kuwait, who arrived at the Cochin International Airport on Friday.
At least 45 Indians were killed in the fire incident, and 31 bodies of victims from Kerala (23), Tamil Nadu (7), and Karnataka (1) were brought via a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force to Kerala's Kochi on Friday. (ANI)
Hoshiarpur native Himat Rai, who was among those killed in a devastating fire in southern Kuwait's Mangaf, was the sole breadwinner of his family.
His family lives in Kakkon, a suburb of Hoshiarpur city, and ever since they received the news about the tragedy they are in a state of shock.
According to official sources, Himat Rai (62), who originally hails from Salempur village in Hoshiarpur district, was among the victims who lost their lives in the tragic fire in the Middle Eastern country on Wednesday, PTI reported. (PTI)
The mortal remains of 31 Indians, including 23 Malayalees, who died in the Kuwait fire tragedy were received at the international airport here on Friday by Central and state ministers, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who paid tributes to the deceased.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) flight carrying the mortal remains of 45 Indians who died in the tragic fire incident in Kuwait two days ago, landed at the international airport here at around 10.30 am. (PTI)
Kuwait fire tragedy: "Our embassy staff there (Kuwait) is constantly monitoring all the injured people in the hospital. We went there yesterday, visited every single person who was admitted in the five hospitals. I am happy to tell you that by God's grace most of them will be discharged in two-three days. The hospital authorities are taking exceptionally good care of them. We met the minister for interior of Kuwait, and he assured that this kind of an incident will never happen again. They are very sensitive about it, concerned about it. The Kuwaiti authorities are very sad about the incident, and they have ensured us that they will take all steps so that these kinds of unfortunate incidents are not repeated again," says Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh
Mortal remains of the victims of the fire incident in Kuwait, being loaded into dedicated ambulances to be taken to their native places from the Cochin International Airport.
Mortal remains of the victims of the fire incident in Kuwait, handed over to their families at Cochin International Airport.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi and other leaders pay homage to the mortal remains of the victims of the fire incident in Kuwait, at Cochin International Airport.
Kuwait fire tragedy: “We have some known person there. We got the information from them. Later, we checked the news. Yesterday, we got the confirmation," says Vikas Singh, brother of one of the victims Praveen Madhav Singh. He was a resident of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
The mortal remains of the Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait arrive at Cochin International Airport.
MoS MEA Kirti Vardhan Singh says "I want to pay my heartfelt condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives in this accident. It is a very tragic incident and we are all very sad about it. The moment our Govt got to know that this incident had taken place, PM Modi immediately convened a meeting and instructed us to reach Kuwait immediately and take all possible steps so that the mortal remains could be brought back as soon as possible. We reached Kuwait and PM Modi had already spoken to the authorities there, to the foreign minister there and to the Emir of Kuwait. I would like to thank to the authorities as they did everything possible, they took all possible measures and fully cooperated in having all the papers completed, identification was done in such a short time because normally this could have taken a week or at least ten days. On PM Modi's instructions, the authorities were very quick about it..."
Ernakulam: On mortal remains of Kuwait fire incident victims to reach Kochi airport, Kerala Congress MLA Chandy Oommen says, "It is a tragedy...We have lost our fellow brothers to this tragedy. I hope the government of Kuwait will take the necessary action against the culprits and they will provide compensation to the bereaved families...The GoI has to take necessary action so that our people get accommodation in places where there is safety..."
Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan on Friday slammed the Union government for "not giving clearance" for Kerala Health Minister Veena George to travel to Kuwait to coordinate assistance for the people from the state affected by the tragic fire mishap in the Gulf country.
"This is very unfortunate when an incident is taking place aboard; it is the duty of the state to send their representatives. When the state was trying to send the Kerala Health Minister, the central government did not provide clearance. This is very unfortunate, this is political and we are not in support of that," VD Satheesan told ANI.
A special Indian Air Force aircraft carrying mortal remains of Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait arrived at the Cochin International Airport here on Friday.
Union Minister of State Singh VK Singh who rushed to Kuwait on Thursday is onboard the flight carrying the bodies.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were among those who were present at the airport. (ANI)
