Kuwait fire: Indian embassy deletes controversial post featuring MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh and coffins of fire victims

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait has found itself in hot water after deleting a social media post on platform X (formerly Twitter). The post featured Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh and other officials posing alongside coffins, near a special Indian Air Force aircraft carrying the mortal remains of 45 Indian victims of a tragic fire incident in Kuwait. The controversial photo was taken just before the aircraft was set to depart from Kuwait for Kochi.

Mos Kirti Vardhan Singh, important in coordinating with Kuwaiti authorities for the swift repatriation of the victims, was reportedly onboard the aircraft during the transportation. According to a statement shared by news agency ANI, the post attracted significant backlash from netizens who deemed it insensitive and inappropriate.

Reactions poured in swiftly from online users, with many criticising the post and calling it a display of poor judgment. One user expressed that the photo added unnecessary insensitivity to an already heartbreaking situation where over 45 Indians lost their lives in the tragic incident.

The special Indian Air Force aircraft touched down at Cochin International Airport yesterday, marking the final leg of the victims' journey home.

The devastating fire incident claimed the lives of at least 45 Indians, with 31 bodies hailing from Kerala (23), Tamil Nadu (7), and Karnataka (1) brought back via the specialised aircraft. Following the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened an urgent meeting, and a team from the Ministry of External Affairs promptly visited Kuwait the following day.

An official breakdown of the victims revealed that, in addition to the 23 from Kerala, the remaining victims hailed from various states including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal, as reported by ANI.