Report by: PA Hameed Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Riyadh
Riyadh, Jul 11: It has been reported that all the dead bodies of Indian nationals, who breathed their last in the Bath’ha fire-tragedy, will be airlifted to their respective towns in India tomorrow morning. Eight people, among them seven are Indians and a Nepali, were killed in the bonfire that took place last week in their bachelor apartment located at Bath’ha, a commercial hub of the capital city of Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Ali Kozhikode, who was seriously injured and hospitalized in Sumesi hospital in Riyadh, breathed his last yesterday. Another injured is undergoing medical treatment in the hospital, whose condition is said to be out of danger. Among the deceased, six are Keralites and one is a Mangalorean by name Kota Mohammed and a Nepali. Most of them breathed their last due to suffocation, sustaining burn injuries on their bodies. It is said that the cause of the fire was short circuit.
Usman from IFF-Karnataka Unit-Riyadh informed to Daijiworld that the dead bodies were taken for funeral bath and will be shown to the public afternoon for final seeing for half an hour; the funeral prayer will be performed today at evening 3.45 (Saudi time) at Riyadh Al-Rajhi Mosque on exit 15. It is informed that a dead body will be airlifted today night, while other three bodies will be airlifted early morning and rest will be airlifted at 7 am tomorrow. All the bodies will be transported in Air India Express, Saudi Airlines and Srilankan Airlines respectively and will reach Calicut tomorrow afternoon.
The deceased Kota Mohammed is a Mangalorean, who hails from Padukere at Kundapura Taluk in Udupi District and was working since six years in a Fish souk at Bath’ha as an indoor salesman, came back just one year ago from his vacation. He is survived by his wife, two children and other relatives.
Sources from Indian Embassy in Riyadh including Karnataka-Kerala Social Organizations informed to P A Hameed Padubidri, Daijiworld reporter that the corpses will be taken to India under the expenses of the Indian Embassy as per the instructions of the Government of India. It is said that Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation and E Ahmed, State Minister for Foreign Affairs have directed the Embassy to make all the arrangements to see the bodies are airlifted to India. The expense will be borne by the Embassy as they consider it as a mass fire catastrophe. Normally, it is Saudi sponsor’s responsibility to airlift the dead body at his own expense in case his employee dies during his employment. Usually, the expense comes nearly SR 8000 (around Indian money one lakh) for this purpose.
It is further informed that the dead body of Nepali, Rakesh Shah, will also be airlifted to Nepal at the expenses of Nepali Embassy. However, his body is still in the mortuary as the legal formalities and other procedures are not yet complete.
Karnataka and Kerala Unit IFF told Daijiworld that all the formalities were done to facilitate the remains to be sent to the victims’ families in India. “From the day one, we (IFF) took initiative to work for the arrangement of funeral rites of the deceased by complying with all the legal and administrative requirements”, one of the Organizers told.
The minds and hearts of the people in Riyadh, especially from Kerala and Karnataka States, are still torrid with sorrow and compassion toward the victims. As a result, different organizations from Kerala and Karnataka convened a meeting of post-fire tragedy last week at Bath’ha Half-moon restaurant hall in Riyadh. The objective of the gathering was to discuss with the fire victims’ relatives and friends about the condition of the deceased’s families back in their respective hometowns and to get a maximum financial help and support to their next of kin. Grievances heard from some of the families are taken down in the meeting in order to facilitate them assistance.
“Some donors and philanthropists have voluntarily come forward to provide financial aid to the deceased’s families; we noted that most of the deceased were the only bread-earners of their respective families and now they are put in a quite hardship and difficulty; this situation badly demands the financial help to them”…..the organizers said.
P A HameedPadubidri, Advocate and Daijiworld reporter, Shihab Pottukad, M C Kunhi (AFS), John, Manager of the Fish Market, where victims were working, Nazeer, Muneeb, Ashraf (IFF Riyadh-Kerala Unit), Usman (IFF Riyadh -Karnataka Unit), Yathiraj Malpe, Rahim A K, social workers and relatives and friends of the deceased were present on the occasion.