At least nine persons, including four from Kerala, have been killed in a building collapse at Doha in Qatar. The four-storeyed building located in Al Mansurah collapsed on Wednesday, March 22. The exact number of casualties or injured is not known, but according to reports, three persons from Pakistan, one from Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh each, were also killed in the incident.
The deceased from Kerala have been identified as Abu T Mammadhutty (45) from Ponnai of Malappuram, Mohammed Ashraf (38) from Kasaragod, Naushad Mannurayi (44) from Maranjeri in Ponnai and singer Faisal Kuppayi (48) from Malappuram NIlambur. Faisal was in Doha to attend a music event. He is survived by his wife and three children. According to a Mathrubhumi report, Abu is survived by his wife and two children; Ashraf by his wife and four children; Naushad by his wife and two children.
Qatar’s interior ministry said that the building was a four-storeyed structure located in Bin Durham but did not offer immediate explanation for its collapse, according to a report in Al Jazeera. Director of Public Relations Department in the Interior Ministry, Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah has said that an investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the loss of lives in the Doha accident. “The incident in which four Malayalis died due to the collapse of the building in Doha’s Al Mansoura is very sad. Condolences to the family,” he said.