Indian killed in Iraq, family yet to hear from government

CHENNAI, MAY 10: When G Senthil Kumar of Chennai left for Kuwait in April 2005, his family had just begun the construction of their new house after staying in a rented accommodation for years. With the help of the money he sent home, their home is finished and furnished. But there is no trace of Senthil.

On May 8, Senthil phoned his mother Vijaya just before lunch and said he would call later. Hours later, one of his friends called to say he was seriously injured in a bomb blast. A little later, it was confirmed: there was a blast at the British Forces area at Basra airport on May 8 at 2.30 pm in which Senthil, 28, along with another person from Tamil Nadu, Ramesh, were killed.

However, the family is yet to get a word from the Indian Government, Senthil’s employer, Kuwait Gulf Link and Transport Company (KGL) of Kuwait, or the manpower consultants, ASMACS, Mumbai. “In one of the regional channels, they showed the blast site and some bodies on stretchers. Besides that, there is no information. We were told the body could not be brought even to Kuwait,” said Senthil’s younger brother, Balu.

While the relatives’ call to a KGL number in Kuwait went unanswered, the ASMACS representatives said the recruitment was made for Kuwait and that they were not in a position to get the body across to Kuwait.

“We are clueless. We are merely waiting, surfing various TV channels to see if there is any information about my son,” said his father Gangadharan, a security guard at a private company.

Senthil’s relatives alleged he was forced to work in Iraq despite his opposition. “He was told he was posted as a diesel mechanic for the British forces’ vehicles, and was forced to go there in 2007. While in Kuwait, he had a cellphone on which he used to call us. But once in Iraq, he was not allowed to operate it,” said Vijaya.

Periodically, the workers were asked to go to Kuwait to purchase equipment and vehicle parts. During that time Senthil switched on his phone and called his parents. “Or he had to depend on the land line once in a while,” said his relatives.

Senthil’s family wanted him to come home in January to marry him off. But since he could not get sufficient leave, he promised to come in the year-end.

“Now, all we request is to return his body. We were told to approach the Kuwait embassy. Some say we have to put pressure through the prime minister and the chief minister. Sitting here miles away from all these offices and high-profile persons, what can we do?” asked his parents.

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