KALABURAGI: Two officials from Karnataka -- Jewargi THO Dr Siddu Patil and Reserve Police Sub Inspector Santosh Bayyapur -- went to Kochi to receive the body of Vijayakumar Prasanna, a native of Kalaburagi, who died in the fire tragedy in Kuwait. Vijayakumar is the only person from Karnataka who died in the fire, said official sources.
Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues received the mortal remains of the 31 victims including Vijayakumar (40) of Sarasamba village of Aland taluk (Kalaburagi district) at Kochi Airport at 11.30 AM on Friday.
The bodies were received with state honours and then handed over to the designated officers to be taken to the hometowns of the victims at 12.30 PM on Friday.
Dr. Patil who spoke from Kochi said that he and Bayyapur would be leaving Kochi by a flight along with the mortal remains of Vijayakumar at 10.30 PM and would reach Hyderabad at 12.30 midnight on Friday-Saturday. From there, the body would reach Sarasamba at 5.30 AM on Saturday in an ambulance.
Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum told The New Indian Express that immediately after learning of the incident, she contacted the Kuwait Embassy through the Indian Embassy and made arrangements to bring back the body of Vijayakumar along with the other victims from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The DC said she deputed two officials from Kalaburagi to bring the body of Vijayakumar.
According to the sources, Taranum, Aland MLA BR Patil and CEO Bhamvar Singh Meena among others would be present during the final rites on Saturday morning at Sarasamba.
Shivasharanappa, a friend of Vijayakumar, told The New Indian Express that Vijayakumar is survived by his parents Kobbanna and Ratnabai, wife Shashikala, three children and four brothers. He was a driver by profession and left a decade back for Kuwait where he worked at a private company. He was in Sarasamba for two years during the Covid-19 pandemic before returning to Kuwait, Shivasharanappa said.
A pall of gloom prevailed in Sarasamba as family members waited for the body of Vijayakumar with tears in their eyes.