Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs department (NORKA) to take immediate steps to bring the bodies of the eight Keralites who were found dead in a resort in Nepal on Tuesday.
NORKA officials have contacted the Indian Embassy in Nepal. “Hope the bodies can be brought home tomorrow after completing the formalities,” he wrote on Facebook.
The CM also wrote a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishanakar seeking his intervention for rendering all possible assistance to the families and friends of the victims.
The deceased have been identified as Praveen Krishnan Nair (39), Saranya Sasi (34), Sreebadra Praveen (9), Archa Praveen, Abhinav Saranya Nair (9); Ranjith Kumar T B (39), Indu Lakshmi Peethambaran (34), Vaishnav Ranjith (2).
The cause of death is yet to be ascertained, but it is believed that gas leak from the heater might be the reason for the tragedy.
Expressing shock over the tragedy, Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the government has given directions to State Police Chief Lok Nath Behera to get in touch with the Nepal police and take necessary steps. Following this, Behera said the Nepal Police promised to make all efforts to speed up the procedures and send the bodies home at the earliest.
"Also talked to Union Minister V Muraleedharan over phone. He ensured all necessary intervention to bring the mortal remains to the state as early as possible," he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Tuesday said Indian Embassy officials in Kathmandu were taking steps to bring the bodies back to India as early as possible.
"We are in regular touch with the Indian embassy in Kathmandu", he said.
The Minister said a doctor at the Indian embassy went to the hospital where the bodies are kept to examine the reasons for the deaths.
Kozhikode District Collector V Sambasiva Rao informed that efforts are being taken to bring bodies of the four persons from the district.
Praveen's family hails from Ernakulam while Ranjith's family is from Kozhikode.
