Pathanamthitta (Kerala): On June 14 at 10:45 am, tractors with trailers carried home the caskets of 31 Indian migrant workers who tragically died in the Mangaf fire in Kuwait. An Indian Air Force aircraft had arrived at Cochin International Airport around 10:30 am, carrying the remains of Indians killed in the fire on Wednesday, June 12. Of the 31 caskets received, 23 were of workers from Kerala, seven were from Tamil Nadu, and one was from Karnataka.
Central and state ministers, along with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, paid their respects. Tamil Nadu minister for minorities welfare and non-resident Tamil’s welfare, Gingee K.S. Masthan, was also present when the bodies of the seven persons from Tamil Nadu were brought to Kochi. According to Karnataka officials, the body of the person from Kalburgi, Karnataka, was transported to Hyderabad on the 9:50 pm flight. “The deceased person hails from Kalburgi, which is located near Hyderabad, Telangana. We have organised an ambulance from there,” stated the official, as reported by the Economic Times.
The families of the victims were devastated and inconsolable as they witnessed the police honouring their loved ones with a guard of honour. This incident stands as the largest disaster in the history of Malayalis living abroad. Twenty-four migrant workers from Kerala – out of a total of 45 from across India – tragically lost their lives in a fire that swept through a labour-housing facility in Kuwait.
The victims included a father of two girls who planned to return to Kerala in August to enrol his children in college, and a 27-year-old who migrated to Kuwait as a driver to fulfil his dream of owning a house.
Nithin, a 27-year-old resident of Kannur, flew to Kuwait five years ago with the dream of owning a home. He had been working as a light motor vehicle driver for a construction company in Kuwait. Burdened by financial liabilities, his sole dream was to move his family from an asbestos roofed house to a concrete home. “Like any other day, he called us on Tuesday night at 9:30 pm, discussing the bank loan, plans to construct the house and other family matters,” said his father Lakshman, his attempt to hold back tears failing.
Nithin’s house. Photo: Anusha Paul
He was equally beloved in the village and at home. A villager Pramod said, “Before going abroad and during his vacations, he was always there for us, ready to help with anything. Whether it was a wedding, a hospital case, or any other need, he would be there for us.”
Nooh, a resident of Malappuram district, who had been living abroad for more than 11 years, travelled to Kuwait two months ago after a vacation. Despite suffering from heart disease, Nooh chose to stay back due to financial liabilities. He was the sole breadwinner for his wife and three daughters.
Nooh put the safety of others before his own during the crisis, assisting others in getting away. Sadly he couldn’t save himself. Nooh was laid to rest in the presence of hundreds of mourners, with Panakkad Sadiqali Shihab Thangal of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leading the prayers.
The tragedy was heightened for a family from Alappuzha as two of its members lost their lives in the accident. Fifty-three-year-old Mathew Thomas, and his nephew 30 year-old Shibu Varghese, succumbed in the fire.
Mathew had been a pillar of support for Shibu and his family since Shibu’s father passed away years ago. A decade ago, Mathew was the one who had got Shibu a job.
Shibu, who leaves behind a wife and a toddler, worked as an accountant at NBTC company, while Mathew was employed in another department within the same company.
A relative said that the bodies would be kept at Pushpagiri Medical College in Thiruvalla, and funerals would be postponed until Shibu’s elder brother Shiju Varghese could arrive.
Binoy Thomas, who had relocated from Pathanamthitta to settle in Thrissur, was among those who tragically lost their lives. His identity was confirmed by a friend, and Non Resident Keralites Association (NoRKA – Roots) officials verified his death on Thursday. Norka, overseen by the Kerala government, manages the affairs of non-resident Keralites and operates helpdesks in various countries.
A father of two, Binoy had arrived in Kuwait just four days earlier on a visit visa, hoping to secure employment. The 44-year-old made the decision driven by his dream of building a house and providing for his family. In Thrissur, his family resides in a makeshift home with a sheet roof.
Binoy’s house. Photo: Anusha Paul
Najeem Jalal, one of the survivors, escaped with a fracture to his left leg. He was a close friend of Umaruddeen Shameer, aged 33 from Kollam, who lost his life. Najeem, employed as a driver, lived on the first floor while Shameer occupied the second floor.
Around 4 am, a catering team arrived with breakfast. As people were preparing for namaz, they heard a panicked knock on the door. One of the caterers urgently told Najeem and his roommates to evacuate the building immediately. Najeem tried to contact Shameer, but due to internet issues, he couldn’t get through to him.
“There was smoke everywhere, and we managed to exit from our room and move to another apartment. We broke a window and one by one jumped out. I landed on a water tank,” Najeem told to Manorama in a phone call.
Shameer, who had been working as a driver with the NBTC group for the past eight years, was the first Indian fire victim to be identified. “His wife and mother were not informed about his death until Thursday evening; they were told that he was in the ICU,” said Shameer’s neighbour.
Babu, father of 32-year-old Sibin, a native of Pathanamthitta district, was inconsolable as he waited at the airport to receive the body of his son. A couple of months ago he lost his wife, and now he is left with his eight-month-old granddaughter and daughter in law.
Shibin had plans to visit his daughter next month to celebrate her first birthday. He had returned to Kuwait in February after attending his daughter’s baptism. On the morning of the fire, Shibin was speaking to his wife Anjumol on the phone. The tragedy occurred just half an hour later.
An IAF flight carried the remains of the workers who died to the Cochin International Airport. Photo: X/@indembkwt
Kasaragod native Ranjith, involved in cultural, artistic and political activities, was a familiar face in his village. He worked as a storekeeper at a company. He was scheduled to return to Kasaragod for his wedding in two months. He had gone back to Kuwait a year ago after finishing the construction of his home in his village.
Sajan, an MTech graduate, recently moved to Kuwait and had been working as a junior mechanical engineer at the company where the accident took place.
Stephin Abraham Sabu, 29 years old and from Pampady, Kottayam, also lost his life in the tragic incident. He was employed as an engineer in Kuwait and had returned there a year ago after finishing construction on his home in his hometown.
The mortal remains of P.V. Muraleedharan were cremated at his residence in Vazhamuttom, Pathanamthitta, on Friday. His body arrived home from Kochi airport by 4 pm, but people had been gathering at his house since the morning and police had to manage the crowd.
Having worked in Kuwait for over three decades, Muraleedharan returned home six months ago with the intention of coming back for good. However, in February, he went back to Kuwait at the request of the NBTC, where he was a supervisor, to work for another year.
The incident has deeply impacted the Indian community in Kuwait, especially those from Kerala, as many of the victims were Malayali workers. Among those lost were many who harboured dreams of building a better future for their families, with a common aspiration being the dream of owning a house.
“Migrants are the lifeblood of Kerala. This is a never-ending loss for the families. The Government of Kuwait has taken effective and impeccable measures, and we expect the follow-up to be flawless. Upon learning of the disaster, the Government of India also intervened appropriately,” said Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
On Thursday, a special meeting of Kerala’s cabinet decided to provide Rs 5 lakh to the families of residents who lost their lives in the Kuwait fire. Additionally, Rs 1 lakh was approved for those injured in the incident. The Government of India announced relief of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the families of the deceased. Additionally, industrialists M.A. Yusuf Ali and Ravi Pillai have also announced aid to the families, with Yusuf Ali contributing Rs 5 lakh each and Ravi Pillai providing Rs 2 lakh each to the affected families.
The NBTC group also promised to provide aid for the affected families. In an official statement, the company announced it would offer Rs 8 lakh to each family of the victim and assured them of ongoing support, including job opportunities and insurance benefits.
The Indian embassy in Kuwait reported that 33 Indians have been hospitalised (as of June 14) in various Kuwaiti hospitals in Adan, Mubarak, Al-Kabeer, Jaber, Farwaniya and Jahra due to injuries. State health minister Veena George said on Friday that most of those receiving treatment are believed to be from Kerala, with around four of them in intensive care units (ICUs). She emphasised the need for more clarity on the exact number of patients and their conditions, as no official notification has been received.
Criticism arose on Thursday when the Union government denied political clearance for George to travel to Kuwait and coordinate relief efforts. Both the Kerala government and the state’s Congress party expressed disappointment, highlighting the importance of state representation in coordinating aid for Malayalis in Kuwait. Congress leader V.D. Satheeshan criticised the decision, noting the challenges of coordinating effectively via phone.
However, BJP leaders in Kerala supported the Union government’s stance, asserting that the situation was effectively managed with the deployment of a Union minister from the Centre to oversee relief efforts in Kuwait.
A delegation from the Indian Embassy in Kuwait has visited all five hospitals where 25 Indians injured in the recent fire incident in Mangaf were admitted. They checked on the medical status of these patients and confirmed that most of them have been in contact with their families. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait posted an update on X stating their visit and the current situation of the injured.
Anusha Paul is an independent journalist.
