A man who was supposed to be celebrating his birthday and a married couple were among 11 Indians killed in an accident Georgian ski resort on the weekend.
Sameer Kumar, who arrived in Georgia just a few months ago, died along with couple Ravinder Singh and Gurvinder Kaur above an Indian restaurant in Gudauri, relatives say.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry said The 12 victims – including a Georgian citizen – were believed to have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Indian government has said it is in touch with the families of the victims and is working to bring back the bodies of those who died in the incident.
Initial investigations found no signs of violence or injuries on the bodies discovered on Saturday, the Georgian ministry said in a statement.
The incident is believed to have occurred after a power generator placed near the bedrooms was switched on after electricity in the building was switched off.
Authorities are currently examining whether the deaths could lead to charges of “involuntary manslaughter.”
Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas and is called the “silent killer.” It is created by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. When the gas is inhaled, it prevents oxygen from being carried throughout the body by the blood. This can lead to poisoning and be fatal.
A BBC Punjabi team spoke to some of the victims’ families in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
Gurdeep Kumar says his 26-year-old brother Sameer recently moved to Georgia in search of job opportunities.
“We last spoke to him on Friday, the day before his birthday,” he said. “The family tried to contact him on his birthday but never received a response.”
A day later, they traced the restaurant owner’s number and were notified of the incident, he said.
The family is now calling on both the federal and state governments to ensure that his body is repatriated to India so that his final rites can be performed there.
In the village of Sunam, relatives mourn the death of Ravinder Singh and his wife.
“They had traveled to Georgia in March after spending 1.3 million rupees ($15,310; £12,060) in search of a better future,” Singh’s uncle Kuldeep Singh Bawa Kainchi told BBC Punjabi.
Gudauri is a popular tourist destination for ski and snowboard enthusiasts. It offers a range of winter sports activities for visitors of all levels.
Its history dates back to the 19th century, when it was known as a trading post on the old Georgian military road that connected Russia with Georgia.
Gudauri is located in the Caucasus Mountains in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region at about 2,200 m (7,200 feet) above sea level and about 120 km (75 miles) north of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.
Additional reporting by Gurminder Singh in Punjab
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