Five Qatar-based Keralites dead in Kenya road accident
Thiruvananthapuram: At least 5 Keralites based in Qatar were killed after their tourist bus met with an accident in Kenya, where they were on holiday, on Monday, according to the chief minister's office.
Sajith Sankar of Loka Kerala Sabha, the Kerala govt initiative to tackle issues of non-resident Keralites, told TOI from Kenya that according to details collected by them, Geetha Shoji Isaac, 58, of Thiruvananthapuram; Jasna Makkar Kuttikattuchalil, 29; her 18-month-old daughter Roohie Mehrin Mohammed of Thoyakkavu near Venkitangu, Thrissur; Riya Ann Rodrigues, 41, and her eight-year-old daughter Tyra Rodrigues of Mannur panchayat in Palakkad were killed in the accident.
"A group of 28 Indians from Qatar were visiting Kenya, where their bus met with an unfortunate road accident yesterday," the Embassy of India in Doha said on Tuesday.
The accident occurred on Ol Jororok-Nakuru Road in Nyandarua County, according to the High Commission of India in Nairobi. The bus reportedly fell into a gorge around 7 pm IST.
The CMO said in a statement that Indian nationals injured in the accident, including Keralites, were being shifted to major hospitals in Nairobi.
The bodies of the deceased are also expected to be brought to Nairobi.
Conveying his condolences to the victims' families, the chief minister said the global contact centre of NORKA Roots, the state-run agency for Non-Resident Keralites, at 1800 425 3939 (toll-free in India) or +91 88020 12345 (missed call service for those abroad) could be contacted for more details.
The relatives of Jasna said her husband Muhammed Haneef was injured in the accident.
He was admitted to a hospital in Nyandarua County initially and later airlifted to Nairobi for better treatment.
Abdul Azeez, the younger brother of Haneef's father, said Haneef was not yet informed about the death of his wife and baby. Haneef is working as a chartered accountant in Qatar while Jasna was employed in a hospital there.
He said Haneef's sister and brother-in-law were travelling from Qatar to Nairobi. "Only after they reach there, we would get to know when the bodies of Jasna and Mehrin can be brought here.
We are trying to expedite the process through the Indian Embassy," he said.
Riya was travelling with her husband Joel and two children when the mishap occurred. "We received the news of the accident on Tuesday morning. The mortal remains are kept at a govt facility in Kenya now, awaiting further formalities," said Hussain Shafeek A, the local ward member.
Both Riya and Joel have been working in the travel industry in Qatar for several years.
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