Thursday 02 / May / 2024
Dehradun: The family of Vijay Kumar, who died in the earthquake in Türkiye, is in shock.
A resident of Kotdwar in Uttarakhand, Vijay Kumar was on a business trip to Turkey when the earthquake struck. His mortal remains were found and identified among the debris of a hotel in Malatya. He left Kotdwar on January 23. Kumar's family members were in deep shock as they came to know of the tragic news. They cried inconsolably. Neighbours and relatives came to Kumar's residence to express their condolences.
Vijay Kumar is survived by his mother, wife, and six-year-old child. He had lost his father about one-and a half months back.
The Indian Embassy in Türkiye informed on Saturday that mortal remains of Kumar have been found.
"We inform with sorrow that the mortal remains of Shri Vijay Kumar, an Indian national missing in Turkiye since February 6 earthquake, have been found and identified among the debris of a hotel in Malatya, where he was on a business trip," the Embassy said in a tweet.
"Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. We are making arrangements for the earliest possible transportation of his mortal remains to his family," it added.
Ministry of External Affairs had said earlier this month that ten Indians were struck in remote parts of Türkiye after the country was hit by two "biggest natural disaster" earthquakes, but they are safe while one citizen is missing.
"There are 10 individuals who are stuck in some remote parts of the affected area but they are safe. We have one Indian national missing, who was on a business visit to Türkiye's Malatya. And he has not been traced for the last two days. We are in touch with his family and the company in Bengaluru," Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in Ministry of External Affairs, had said at a media briefing on 'Operation Dost.'
The death toll from the earthquakes stood at more than 25,000 across southern Türkiye and northwest Syria, reports said.
