Kerala on Thursday paid homage to the two young doctors, Deepak Thomas of Kelakam, Kannur and AS Irshad of Kasaragod, who lost their lives in the earthquake in Nepal as their bodies were brought home from the Himalayan country via New Delhi and Bangalore. The bodies of Dr Deepak (27) and Dr Irshad (28) were brought to New Delhi from Kathmandu on Wednesday night and were airlifted from there to Bangalore later. The bodies were taken to their respective homes from Bangalore by road on Thursday morning.
Among those who had gathered to pay their last respects to the two doctors were scores of their friends and well-wishers and thousands of local people. Dr Irshad’s body was buried at the Muhiyuddin Juma Masjid at Nellikkunnu, Kasaragod while the last rites for Dr Deepak were performed at the St George’s Church at Kanichara in Kannur.
local legislator NA Nellikkunnu, several people’s representatives, Kasaragod District Collector PS Mohammad Sagir and other dignitaries had reached Dr Irshad’s residence to pay their respects to him. Sunny Joseph MlA and Iritti Tahsildar KG Raveendran paid tributes to Dr Deepak for CM Oommen Chandy and Culture Minister KC Joseph respectively.
The two young doctors had gone to Nepal along with their friend Dr Abin Suri on a vacation before the start in May of the Post-Graduate Course for which they had gained admission. The three were staying at a Kathmandu hotel when the tragedy struck. Dr Suri was rescued with serious injuries from among the debris of the hotel building and has been admitted to AIIMS, Delhi. He had inquired about Dr Deepak and Dr Irshad soon after arriving in Delhi but he has not yet been informed about the death of his two friends.