Kolkata, Jun 12 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed deep shock over the deaths of several Indians in a devastating fire in a building in Kuwait.

She directed the chief secretary and resident commissioner in Delhi to get in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs to obtain the status of those from West Bengal currently in Kuwait.

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"Deeply shocked to know about the devastating fire incident of Kuwait, which has already taken a toll of more than 40 lives. My condolences to the bereaved families," she posted on X handle.

"I have instructed my Chief Secretary and Resident Commissioner in Delhi to be in constant touch with Ministry of External Affairs to know about the wellbeing of people of West Bengal origin in Kuwait and to take all appropriate steps on emergent basis," she added.

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Over 40 people, majority of them Indians, were killed in a devastating fire in a building housing labourers in southern Kuwait and the number of deceased is expected to go up, officials said on Wednesday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)