Kuwaiti authorities have already conducted DNA tests on the bodies as part of the identification process

A special Air Force aircraft has taken off from Kuwait carrying the bodies of 45 Indians, who died in a massive fire in the Gulf country two days ago. The plane is expected to land in Kerala’s Kochi around 11 am and then leave for Delhi. Gonda MP Kirti Vardhan Singh, who had to rush to Kuwait soon after taking charge as a junior minister in the foreign ministry, is also returning in the same aircraft.

A special IAF aircraft carrying mortal remains of 45 Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait has taken off for Kochi.

MoS @KVSinghMPGonda, who coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities ensuring swift repatriation, is onboard the aircraft pic.twitter.com/091hBNWzLL

— India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) June 13, 2024

“A special IAF aircraft carrying mortal remains of 45 Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait has taken off for Kochi. MoS @KVSinghMPGonda, who coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities ensuring swift repatriation, is onboard the aircraft,” said the Indian embassy in Kuwait.

Ambulances are on standby at the Cochin airport where the plane will land, showed visuals online.

A massive fire erupted in a six-storied building in Mangaf city on Wednesday, killing at least 48 people. Out of the 176 Indian workers in the housing facility, 45 died and 33 are hospitalized, the embassy said. The rest are reportedly safe.

The victims include 23 from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three from Uttar Pradesh, two from Odisha, and one each from Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Haryana.

Mr Singh reached Kuwait on Thursday and visited five hospitals where the injured Indian workers are being treated. They will be discharged progressively depending on their health, the embassy said citing hospital authorities.

During his visit, the minister also met the First Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, who assured him of full support and assistance in the early repatriation of the bodies.

The bodies were charred beyond recognition and DNA testing was done on them to confirm the victims’ identities, said the minister yesterday. The authorities have identified 48 bodies, among which 45 are of Indians and three are of Filipino nationality, a report quoted Mr Al-Sabah as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has reviewed the tragic incident, has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for those who died in the Kuwait fire.

The local administration in Kuwait is also probing how more than 160 people were staying in the building.

 BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan on Thursday said senior party leader Amit Shah asked her to “carry out political and constituency work intensively”, a day after a video of her interaction with the Union home minister surfaced on the social media.

In the video clip from TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu’s swearing-in as Andhra Pradesh chief minister on Wednesday, Mr Shah can be seen talking to Soundararajan in an animated manner while gesturing with his finger.

In a post on X on Thursday evening, Ms Soundararajan, who is the former Governor of Telangana, said she met Amit Shah for the first time following the declaration of Lok Sabha poll results and the duo was talking about “post-poll follow-up”.

“Yesterday as I met our Honorable Home Minister Sri @AmitShah ji in AP for the first time after the 2024 Elections he called me to ask about post poll followup and the challenges faced.

“As I was elaborating, due to paucity of time with utmost concern, he adviced to carry out the political and constituency work intensively which was reassuring. This is to clarify all unwarranted speculations,” she said.

Yesterday as I met our Honorable Home Minister Sri @AmitShah ji in AP for the first time after the 2024 Elections he called me to ask about post poll followup and the challenges faced.. As i was eloborating,due to paucity of time with utmost concern he
adviced to carry out the…

— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@DrTamilisai4BJP) June 13, 2024

Ms Soundararajan contested from the South Chennai Lok Sabha seat. She lost the election to DMK’s Tamizhachi Thangapandian.

Her comment assumes significance in the wake of rumours of an intra-party feud in the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP.

Ms Soundararajan, on her return to Chennai on Wednesday, declined to comment, when she was asked by reporters on the claims of a discord within the party vis-a-vis her interaction with Shah.

Her alleged comments on “criminal elements” in the BJP and that “the party would have won had there been an alliance with the AIADMK” were among the triggering factors.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)