June 13th 2024.
In a tragic and unfortunate event that occurred in Kuwait's Mangaf area, a devastating fire claimed the lives of many individuals. The Kuwaiti authorities are currently conducting DNA tests on the bodies of the deceased to confirm their identities. As a result, an IAF aircraft is on standby to bring back the mortal remains of the Indians who lost their lives in the incident. This has been confirmed by officials on Thursday.
Upon learning about the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh to travel to Kuwait and oversee the assistance provided to the injured Indians and ensure the swift repatriation of their mortal remains. The total number of casualties in the Al-Mangaf building is reported to be 49, with 42 of them being Indian nationals. The remaining victims are from Pakistan, the Philippines, Egypt, and Nepal.
Late Wednesday night, the Ministry of External Affairs released a statement stating that around 40 Indians had died and over 50 were injured in the fire that broke out in a labor housing facility. Prime Minister Modi, who described the incident as "saddening", held a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, and Principal Secretary to PM PK Mishra. During the meeting, the prime minister announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased Indian nationals from the PM Relief Fund and directed that the government should extend all possible assistance.
Minister Jaishankar also spoke to his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on the phone and urged for the early repatriation of the mortal remains of the Indians who lost their lives. He also informed him about the efforts made by the Kuwaiti authorities in response to the tragedy and was assured that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and those responsible would be held accountable.
The Foreign Minister also emphasized the need for the injured individuals to receive proper medical attention and care. In another development, it has been reported that most of the Indian victims are from Kerala. The fire, which started in a kitchen, was first reported to the authorities at 4:30 am on Wednesday in the Al-Mangaf building located in the Al-Ahmadi governorate. It is believed that most of the deaths were a result of smoke inhalation.
The building was rented by construction firm NBTC group to accommodate more than 195 workers, mostly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and other northern states of India. The NBTC group is partly owned by an Indian, according to officials. In response to the fire incident, the Interior Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, has ordered an investigation and has directed for the owner and janitor of the Al-Mangaf building to be apprehended. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this difficult time.
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