By IANS,
New Delhi : The Indian government is helping repatriate the bodies of three Indians, two from Andhra Pradesh and one from West Bengal, who were killed in a Taliban suicide attack a day ago in Afghanistan, an official said Wednesday.
Taliban suicide attackers struck Tuesday at a complex in Kabul’s Pul-e-Charkhi area that housed a firm contracted to offer supplies to NATO forces. The three Indians were among 10 people killed.
Among the others killed were a Scottish security contractor, four Nepali guards and two Afghan drivers.
The Indians killed were: Sandeep Gilaji, who worked as a waiter, Kaushik Chakrabarty, a laundry manager, and Naveen Kumar Gurudi, a front office manager.
Gilaji and Gurudi were from Andhra Pradesh, and Chakrabarty from West Bengal.
“They were among the more than 50 Indians working through a contractor there, providing services in the housing compound,” said external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin at a briefing here.
“We are in touch with the employer to complete the legal and medical formalities before repatriating the bodies to India,” Akbaruddin said.
The entrance to the NATO supply company compound was destroyed in the Taliban truck bomb and gun attack.
The company was engaged in providing NATO bases with food, bottled water, fuel and other supplies, as well as maintaining military storage buildings and accommodation. It is situated close to UN offices.
The Taliban attack is the latest by the insurgent group in Afghanistan since the US’s offer to hold peace talks with the group ahead of the drawdown by international forces next year.
The Taliban had attacked the Indian embassy in Kabul Oct 8, 2009, and July 7, 2008, killing dozens of people.