Searching for livelihood in a foreign land, now their dead bodies are returning!

New Delhi : They had gone abroad in search of livelihood. Some had left their country for a better future of their family, while some had chosen to stay away from their loved ones to fulfill their dream of having a good roof over their head. Some were about to return to their country after 2 months and lay the foundation of their dream house. Some were talking about marriage. Some had sent their first salary just last week. Some had reached Kuwait for their first job barely a week ago. There was happiness at home. At that time, sweets might have been distributed in the neighborhood. But they will not return now. Now their dead bodies are returning. There is mourning in their homes now. The bodies of Indians killed in the Kuwait fire have been brought to Kochi by an Indian Air Force plane. Most of the dead were residents of Kerala. English news website ‘News18’ has published a report after talking to some of the relatives and friends of the Indians killed in the Kuwait fire. The pain, regret and tears of those who lost their loved ones in the accident are heart-rending.

Shamir was about to lay the foundation of his/her dream house but…

Umaruddin Shamir, a resident of Kollam district of Kerala, was one of the 45 Indians killed in a fire in a building in Mangaf, Kuwait. he/she was to return to Kollam after 2 months. he/she was about to lay the foundation of his/her dream house. But nature had something else in store. 33-year-old Shamir was working as a driver in Kuwait-based company NBTC for about five years. It is suspected that in panic and in an attempt to save his/her life, Shamir tried to jump from the building, which led to his/her death.

Shamir’s family is in shock. They are crying inconsolably. One of his/her relatives said, ‘he/she used to call every morning before going to work. When he/she did not call on Wednesday, his/her wife got worried. A friend from there called us to tell us about the fire. We are shocked. We do not know how to react to this tragedy. We are relying on the guidance of the state government and those involved in the rescue operation.’

Relationships were being looked for Sabu’s marriage

The family of Kottayam’s Stephen Sabu (29 years) was dreaming of settling him/her down with pomp and show. A good marriage proposal had come. They wanted Sabu to come soon and the relationship to be finalized. But this could not happen. The family is in shock. A relative said crying, ‘We were planning his/her marriage, a good marriage proposal had come. We were asking him/her to come back soon… We have lost the light of our house. We are in darkness and I request everyone to pray.’

Sajan sent his/her first salary last week

Among the dead was Sajan, a resident of Punalur in Kollam. After completing his/her MTech, he/she worked as an assistant professor in a college in Adoor but resigned to go to Kuwait. he/she was working as a junior engineer in NBTC and had sent his/her first salary home last week. his/her father George is shocked to lose his/her young son. he/she says, “he/she used to call us to tell us about his/her day and his/her experience of working there as this was his/her first job abroad. What do we do now?”

he/she was earning in Kuwait for 18 years, now his/her father’s shadow has gone from his/her daughters’ heads

Another Kollam resident, Lukose V.O., 48, spent over 18 years in Kuwait and worked at NBTC for a decade. One of seven siblings, he/she worked as a foreman supervisor and during his/her visits to Kerala, he/she actively participated in social, cultural and sports events in his/her panchayat. he/she has two daughters, one of whom recently passed her Class XII exams, while the younger one is studying in Class V. Now, they are left without a father.

Lukose’s family friend Shaji Lukose says, “he/she was a mild-mannered, religious man who knew how to treat people with respect. he/she was well-liked by people and was always ready to help anyone in distress. I have seen him/her since his/her childhood, and he/she worked hard to give his/her family a comfortable life at home.”

Srihari Pradeep had arrived in Kuwait a week ago to start his/her first job
Srihari Pradeep, a young mechanical engineer in Kottayam, 90 km from Kollam, arrived in Kuwait on June 6 to start his/her first job. he/she got a job with NBTC. his/her father Pradeep, who had also been working in Kuwait for the past decade, had shifted to the sixth floor of the ill-fated apartment just five days ago. his/her father Pradeep lived in a flat two buildings away. As soon as he/she came to know about the fire, he/she rushed to rescue the body but was stopped by rescue workers. It took some time to identify his/her body at the hospital. “Srihari was finally identified from the tattoo mark on his/her wrist and Pradeep later confirmed it,” said a neighbour of Srihari Pradeep in Kottayam.

49 people including 45 Indians died in building fire
A fire broke out in the kitchen of a building in Kuwait’s Mangaf area at around 4 am on Thursday, while most of the people living in the house were sleeping. 49 foreign nationals died in this fire, of which 45 were Indians. Most of the dead are from Kerala. The Indian government has sent Minister of State for External Affairs Kirtivardhan Singh to Kuwait to make arrangements for the treatment of the injured and