Kuwait fire: DNA tests reveal 24 of 40 Indians killed were from Kerala
Image of the apartment after fire is doused.
The Indian government will be sending an Air Force plane to bring back the mortal remains of those who died in a tragic fire incident in Kuwait, said Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh.
The minister said that some of the bodies are charred beyond recognition and DNA testing is being carried outto confirm the identities of the victims. According to the government authorities in Kerala, 24among those 40 Indians killed were from the southern state. Meanwhile,seven Keralites were seriously injured in the incident.
Kerala government announced to provide Rs5,00,000 ($5984) financial assistance to families of Keralites who were killed in the incident.
Kerala'sHealth Minister Veena George will be inKuwait to coordinate the treatment of those who have suffered injuries and to bring back the bodies of those killed, reported news agency PTI.
Minister of State for External Affairs and Gonda MP Kirti Vardhan Singh rushed to the Gulf country soon after taking charge and said that an Indian Air Force plane is being prepared to bring back the bodies home.
While leaving his residence, MoS MEA Kirti Vardhan Singh said, "The incident in Kuwait is unfortunate. All of us including the PM are very concerned. I am going there and will see the situation. People from our embassy are already there on the ground looking after the injured... I am going there and I will inform the government regarding the conditions there."
"DNA tests are being conducted to identify the victims. Many of the bodies are severely burned and charred beyond recognition, necessitating these tests for proper identification. This might take some time to bring the mortal remains to India. An Air Force plane is on standby. Once the identifications are complete, families will be notified, and the Air Force plane will transport the bodies back to India. The rest of the situation will become clear once we arrive there.”
After reaching Kuwait, the MoSimmediately rushed to Jaber hospital and met theinjured Indians in the fire incident.
As per the latest figures, at least 48 people lost their lives in the fire tragedy in Mangaf city and 40 of them were said to be Indians.
The fire started in the kitchen of the six-storey building on Wednesday (June 12). Almost 200 people were staying in the building, and as perofficials, most deaths happened because of the inhalation of smoke in sleep.
Kuwaiti officials investigate deadly fire incident
The government officials in Kuwait launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances which caused the deadly fire.
Kuwait's Deputy Premier, Defense and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Saba, who visited the site on Wednesday (June 12), gave orders for the Kuwaiti landlord's arrest and the building's Egyptian guard, Kuwait Times reported.
Watch:Kuwait fire: At least 49 killed in fire; India's envoy visits hospitalized victims
At a high-level meeting, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the incident and announced a compensation ofRs 2 lakh ($2,395) each for the victims'family members.
India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar also spoke to his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya.
"Was assured that the incident would be fully investigated and that responsibility will be fixed," said Jaishankar, taking to X.
"Urged the early repatriation of the mortal remains of those who lost their lives. He emphasised that those injured were getting the requisite medical attention," he said.
A helpline number +965-65505246 has been started by the Indian Embassy in Kuwait to reach out to the family members of the victims.
(With inputs from agencies)