JALANDHAR/PATIALA/FARIDKOT/BATHINDA/LUDHIANA/AMRITSAR/SANGRUR: Amrinder Kaur moved from her family home in a remote village near Patiala to a land of unknowns nine years ago. She made the 3,000km trip to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, in 2015, and toiled at a restaurant in the Gudauri ski resort, chipping away at the barriers that stood in the way of hopes for a better future.
Those dreams were snuffed on a bitterly cold Saturday morning. Kaur (32) was among 11 Indian nationals, all from Punjab, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning at the Haveli restaurant in Gudauri. The deaths stunned the state and foregrounded the struggles of people from India who go abroad to secure stability.
"She was planning her first visit since she moved to Georgia in 2015. She was very happy and was buying gifts from everyone," said Sukhwinder Singh, her 42-year-old cousin.
The other victims were identified as Ravinder Kumar (45) from Jalandhar, Sameer Kumar (26) from Khanna, Harwinder Singh (27) from Mansa, Varinder Singh (33) from Patiala, Sandeep Singh (34) from Tarn Taran, Ravinder Singh (34) and Gurwinder Kaur (29), both from Sangrur, Maninder Kaur (32) from Mansa and Gagandeep Singh (24) from Moga. The identity of the 11th victim could not be confirmed. A Georgian national also died in the incident. All of them were employees of the restaurant, inside a ski resort.
A preliminary investigation found that the carbon monoxide allegedly leaked from a power source, likely a generator, placed in a closed space near the bedrooms. "The Indian embassy in Georgia is in touch with the families and is working with local authorities to repatriate the mortal remains at the earliest," officials in the ministry of external affairs said on Tuesday.
As the news trickled in, familiar tales bound families across the agrarian state - of loss, longing and shattered dreams. Many of the victims hadn't returned to their families in years.
Esta historia es de la edición December 18, 2024 de Hindustan Times Ludhiana.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 18, 2024 de Hindustan Times Ludhiana.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
JACKKY CAN MAKE ME LAUGH
Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani look back on the year that changed their relationship status
Milind Soman: Even if I get $100 million, I won't do a paan masala ad
As someone who is big on fitness and believes in following a healthy lifestyle, actor-model Milind Soman (59) is working on \"creating a platform for indigenous sports\".
KOHLI CONFRONTS MEDIA OVER FAMILY PRIVACY IN MELBOURNE
India batter Virat Kohli was involved in a verbal exchange with a media person at the Melbourne Airport, upon arriving in Victoria ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Ashwin's call and why retirement can be fresh start
Ashwin's sudden turn—midway through a Test series—has shocked everyone. It seems he ended his glorious spell angry/frustrated/disappointed; he wasn't central to the Indian team's plans anymore.
ICC agrees on hybrid model, India to play CT games at a neutral venue
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday approved the hybrid model for next year's Champions Trophy, ending a month-long deadlock over the venue for the competition.
Ashwin back home, says zero regrets on retirement
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returned home to Chennai on Thursday morning one day after his retirement from international cricket midway through India's ongoing Test series against Australia.
Ukraine peace deal: Putin says he's open for talks with Trump
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he was ready for talks at \"any time\" with US President-elect Donald Trump, who has touted his ability to strike a Ukraine peace deal within hours of coming to office.
US Fed Reserve sneezes, Indian markets catch cold
Desperation swept over global markets on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve indicated a slower easing of interest rates, sending Indian stocks lower for the fourth day in a row.
FMCG firms may hike prices by 5% amid rising costs
Your next pack of cookies could be lighter than the one you got for the same price last time.
Dealing with the Dragon
India-China ties show progress, but Delhi must not lose sight of Beijing's border ambitions