M’luru woman among four Indians killed

Four Indians were among the dozens of foreign nationals killed in the blasts in Sri Lanka. However, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had put the number at three and did not mention the Mangaluru woman.

“Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals,” she said in a tweet.

She said the Indians killed are Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh.

Razeena Khader Kukkady (58), wife of Abdul Khader Kukkady, was killed in the blast at Shangri-La Hotel.

A resident of Suratkal in Mangaluru, Razeena hails from Mogral Puthur in Kasargod, Kerala. Her family had shifted to Sri Lanka long ago. After her marriage to Abdul Khader, she was residing in Idya opposite to Vidyadayine school in Suratkal.

The couple has two children, both working as engineers in the US.

Razeena along with her husband had travelled to the island nation in order to visit her relatives. Her husband left for Dubai on Sunday morning while Razeena’s flight to Mangaluru was scheduled to take off at noon.

Khader’s brother, Usman Kukkady, said: “My brother Khader has rushed to Sri Lanka on hearing the news of his wife’s death. More family members from here will be leaving tonight to Sri Lanka,” he said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said steps were being taken to bring back the body of Razeena.

“The NORKA authorities are in touch with the High Commissioner’s office and the relatives,” Vijayan said in a release.