Indian casualties rise to 21: Minister

Kochi, Apr 1 (UNI) The number of Indian casualties in the Thursday night cruise ship capsize off Bahrain had gone up to 21 and all efforts were being made to bring back the bodies at the earliest, Union Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said today.

Talking to reporters after visiting the houses of the deceased Basant Kumar and R B Mathew in Ernakulam district, Mr Ravi hoped the bodies would be brought back by tomorrow morning.

Mr Ravi said he was in touch with the Indian Ambassador in Bahrain and had instructed him to get the bodies released at the earliest.

The Indian associations in Bahrain were also making efforts for the early release of the bodies, he added.

The bodies will be handed over to the ambassador and the relatives after all the formalities were completed by the Bahraini authorities, he said.

On the issue of compensation, he said this would be looked into later. The first priority was to bring the bodies back.

Earlier, Mr Ravi visited the house of Mr Basant Kumar and met his parents K Madhava Menon and Kamala Menon in the city.

He also visited the house of Mr R B Mathew at Mulanuthurthy in the district and paid condolences to his parents Baby Mathew and Ammini Mathew.

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