NEW DELHI, Jan 23 (NNN-PTI) – Mourners in India’s northern state of Punjab, yesterday attended the funerals of two compatriots, killed in a recent attack by Houthi rebels on the UAE.
Two Indians and a Pakistani were killed, when the drone and missile strikes hit fuel trucks near Abu Dhabi airport on Monday, causing multiple explosions. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed the attacks.
The remains of Hardeep Singh, 22, and Hardev Singh, 34, were repatriated to India on Friday.
Hardeep, who came from Baba Bakala village in Amritsar district, is survived by his wife and mother.
“We are still not able to fathom the tragedy that took place in the family,” his cousin, Rajbir Singh told Arab News. “The wife came back from Canada yesterday, after she learnt about the incident. She is a student there and Hardeep had plans to shift to Canada.”
Hardeep was working in the UAE as a truck driver. He married last year and was his family’s sole breadwinner. The other victim, Hardev, came from Bagha Purana village in Moga district. He spent 18 years in the UAE, working on construction sites in the oil and gas industry.
Hardev’s brother, Sukhdev, who also works in the UAE, said, he could not believe his brother was gone until he saw the body.
“It’s difficult to foresee an existence without him,” Sukhdev told Arab News. “He was a great support to me and because of Hardev I could go to UAE. He was the main earner and support to their elderly parents.”
Sukhdev thanked the UAE government for the support it had provided to the family so far. Indian authorities have condemned the Houthi attack on the UAE.
Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, expressed “strong solidarity with UAE in face of such unacceptable acts” during a call with his Emirati counterpart.
T.S. Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the UN, told the UN Security Council that, “such an attack on innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure is completely unacceptable.”
He said, “It is a blatant violation of international law. It is also against all civilised norms. It is important that the council stands united, in sending a clear signal against such heinous acts of terror.”
