Heartbreak struck in Kuwait's Mangaf city as a devastating blaze claimed 49 lives. Tragically, 45 of those lost were Indians. Kerala bore the brunt, mourning 24 souls, while five hailed from Tamil Nadu, three from Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Jharkhand. Among the deceased from Uttar Pradesh were two young men from Gorakhpur, with the third being a resident of Ghazipur.
Angad Gupta, a Gorakhpur native, had left for Kuwait nearly nine years ago to work as a cashier for a private company. His tragic demise occurred in a multi-storied mall fire in Mangaf city. The shocking news reached his family through an embassy call last Thursday, plunging them into a state of inconsolable grief.
The last communication with Angad Gupta was two days prior to the tragedy where he enquired about his family's well-being and encouraged his children to focus on their studies. Following the incident, the state's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed senior officials to maintain coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Kuwait.
The community and family are engulfed in sorrow. Angad's brother, Pankaj Gupta, shares that the family's sole breadwinner is now gone, causing both emotional and financial distress.
The bereaved family pleads with government authorities for job assistance for the eldest daughter Anshika, as well as financial support.
The bodies of the deceased have arrived in India
An Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft bearing the remains of the 45 Indian nationals touched down at Kochi Airport in Kerala. These individuals perished in a horrific fire in a residential building in Mangaf city, Kuwait. The IAF's C-130J Super Hercules was dispatched to bring the nationals home, and it has successfully landed in Kochi. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, was present at Kochi International Airport to pay tribute to the victims.
According to Kuwaiti media, the fire originated in a kitchen, and most deaths were caused by smoke inhalation. Officials from the Al-Ahmadi Governorate reported the incident in the early hours of June 12th. The building, rented by the NBTC Group for housing over 195 workers, was mainly inhabited by laborers from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and northern states.
