Thiruvananthapuram: When the news of a fire in the flats housing NBTC company employees in Kuwait broke, family members of Aryanadu native Arun Babu found themselves in a state of distress. Despite their relentless attempts to reach him, the absence of a response from Arun's phone solidified their worst fears. It wasn't until Thursday that the family received the heart-breaking confirmation that Arun was among the 24 Malayalis claimed by the tragic fire.

His aunt, M S Sheeja, residing just a few blocks away from him in Kuwait, had returned to Kerala for a 12-day break when the calamity struck. But Sheeja, a deputy manager at a money exchange company, tirelessly pursued information about her nephew's fate. On Thursday morning, she received news that his body was in the morgue, a confirmation later corroborated by the company's helpline in the afternoon.

Arun Babu held the position of shop admin at NBTC company. Sheeja had brought him to Kuwait hoping to secure an employment for him. Having worked for the company for eight years in various capacities such as a construction worker and driver, Arun Babu had returned home during the peak of the Covid pandemic, only to venture back to Kuwait with a fresh visa eight months ago. His daily routine, from 6 am to 4 pm, centered around procuring and delivering necessary equipment for the company. Being often alone in the vehicle, he maintained constant contact with his family back home. Little did his mother anticipate that their conversation on Tuesday would be their last. He was planning to visit Kerala next March.

Arun, son of the late M Babu and S Ajitha Kumari, leaves behind his wife, Vinita, and their children, Ashtami and Ameya. Ashtami is a ninth-grade student at Poovathur Higher Secondary School. Fondly known as Sabu, Arun Babu was an activist of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), deeply immersed in grassroots initiatives before his departure for Kuwait. He was the sole breadwinner of the family after his father passed away five years ago.