Tearful farewell to Oman mishap victims

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The bodies of five Keralites killed in an accident in Oman were cremated here on Thursday. The bodies arrived here in three direct flights in the morning. The bodies of four victims hailing from Vellaikadavu, one from Marthandam in Tamil Nadu and another victim from Kallara were received by their families and political leaders. The tiny village of Vellaikadavu, which lies just outside the Corporation limits, was mournfully awaiting the return of their dear ones - Anil Kumar, Vishnu, Johnson and Prasad. The bodies arrived by 1.20 p.m. However, the coffins could not be opened as the bodies were almost in a charred state. The coffins were kept in a make-shift pandal at Vellaikadavu Junction.Hundreds of people gathered at the junction and from nearby houses paid their last respects to the deceased. Speaker G Karthikeyan, Deputy Speaker N Sakthan, A Sampath MP, Ministers K C Joseph, V S Sivakumar, K Muraleedharan MLA, BJP leaders P K Krishna Das and Karamana Jayan were among the political leaders who paid their homage. The coffins were kept there for nearly two hours and then taken back to their houses. While Johnson was buried in the cemetery of Panankara Christu Raja RC Church, the mortal remains of the other three were cremated on the premises of their houses. Saju Kumar, a native of Kattumpuram near Kallara, was cremated at his ancestral home near Kilimanoor.