Turkey earthquake: Indian man found dead, tattoo on hand helps family identify body. Who was Vijay Kumar?
Turkey earthquake
An Indian national who was missing since the earthquakes hit Turkey, on February 6, was found dead on Saturday (February 11) under the rubble of a hotel he was staying in. The Indian embassy in Turkey confirmed that the body of the victim, Vijay Kumar Gaud was found in the debris of a hotel in Malatya where he was on a business trip.
According to reports citing officials, the victim’s face was injured beyond recognition and the body was identified by his family by the tattoo of the word “Om” on his hand. “We inform with sorrow that the mortal remains of Shri Vijay Kumar, an Indian national missing in Turkiye since February 6 earthquake, have been found and identified among the debris of a hotel in Malatya, where he was on a business trip,” said the Indian embassy in Turkey, in a tweet.
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They added, “Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. We are making arrangements for the earliest possible transportation of his mortal remains to his family.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Wednesday, said that an Indian was missing, while 10 others were stuck in remote areas of Turkey but are safe following the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
Who was Vijay Kumar?
Vijay Kumar was a 35-year-old from the Pauri district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and was reportedly a technician for a Bengaluru-based gas-plant company, Oxyplants India Pvt. Ltd. He was in Turkey on an assignment. As per media reports, Gaud was found under the rubble of the four-star Avsar Hotel in Malatya where he was staying since January 25 for a project that was supposed to end by mid-February.
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The victim’s elder brother Arun Kumar Gaudthat his wife, Pinky Gaur, and six-year-old son had last talked to him on the phone on February 5 and that he was to return to India on February 20."His phone rings but no one responds," said his elder brother toPTI, after his brother went missing.
Kumar was sent to Turkey for installing and commissioning an acetylene gas plant in Malatya, as per media reports, and secured his visa by mid-January.According to family sources quoting Indian embassy officials, Gaud’s mortal remains will first be flown to Istanbul and then taken to Delhi, and it may take some three days for his body to reach Uttarakhand, reported PTI.
(With inputs from agencies)
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