The bodies of 45 Indians who died in a fire at a residential building in Kuwait’s Mangaf district have arrived in Kerala. The fire, which occurred on Wednesday, claimed at least 50 lives.
An Indian Air Force aircraft carrying the bodies landed at Cochin International Airport. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior officials were present to receive the remains.
The victims include 23 from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and one from Karnataka. Others hailed from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.
India’s junior Foreign Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh, who coordinated the repatriation, accompanied the bodies. The injured, totaling 33, are being treated in Kuwait.
Ambulances will transport the bodies to their homes across Kerala. At Umarudheen Shameer’s residence in Kollam, his family awaits his body. Mr. Shameer, 33, died while trying to escape the blaze.