He died the same day he returned to Kuwait from India, fire tragedy victim's relative says
Lokanandam, who had returned briefly to his hometown before his untimely demise upon returning to Kuwait, leaves behind a devastated family and community
PTI
A fire engulfed a multi-storey building in Kuwait housing foreign workers, mostly Indians, on Wednesday, killing at least 49 people and injuring more than 50 others, according to officials (Photo/PTI)
AMRAVATI: Till recently, Lokanandam had been home in his village of Sompeta in Srikakulam district, having come from Kuwait for the elections and other engagements. But the same day that he returned to the West Asian country, he tragically died, a relative said.
The village of Sompeta was blanketed in sorrow on Friday as relatives and acquaintances thronged the home of Lokanandam as they came to know of his tragic death soon after his return from his home town to his country of work.
Lokanandam’s mother was inconsolable, surrounded by relatives mourning his loss.
Three migrant workers from the state died in the recent fire accident in Kuwait.
Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS), which is the nodal agency for matters related to NRIs and migrant workers, had said on Thursday that T Lokanandam from Srikakulam district and M Satyanarayana and M Eshwarudu from West Godavari district were identified among the deceased.
"As part of his return journey (to Kuwait), Lokanandam had gone to Hyderabad on June 5, stayed there for four days and then reached Kuwait on June 11," Lokanadam’s brother-in-law Santha Rao said.
Lokanandam was the lone breadwinner of his family, and Sompeta villagers have reached out to Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu for help in repatriating his body.
The mortal remains of Lokanandam, Satyanarayana and Eshwarudu are expected to arrive in New Delhi by Friday afternoon, after which they would be despatched onward to Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada airports for further transit to their hometowns.
