Married couple among 11 Indians killed in Georgia gas poisoning

A man who should have been celebrating his birthday and a married couple were among 11 Indians to die in a Georgian ski resort at the weekend.

Sameer Kumar, who only arrived in Georgia a few months ago, died alongside the couple, Ravinder Singh and Gurvinder Kaur, above an Indian restaurant in Gudauri, relatives say.

Georgia's ministry of internal affairs said it believed the 12 victims - including one Georgian national - died after being poisoned by carbon monoxide.

The Indian government has said it is in touch with the victims' families and is working to bring back the bodies of those who died in the incident.

The initial investigation show no signs of violence or injuries on the bodies, which were discovered on Saturday, the Georgian ministry said in a statement.

It is thought the incident occurred after a power generator, placed near the bedrooms, was turned on after the building's electricity was switched off.

Authorities are working to determine whether the deaths could lead to charges of "negligent manslaughter".

Carbon monoxide is an odourless gas, and is known as the "silent killer". It is produced after the incomplete burning of fossil fuels. The gas, if inhaled, prevents oxygen from being carried by the blood in the body. This can lead to poisoning and can be fatal.

A team from BBC Punjabi spoke to some of the families of the victims in the northern Indian state of Punjab.

Gurdeep Kumar says his 26-year-old brother, Sameer, had recently moved to Georgia in search of employment opportunities.

"We last spoke to him on Friday, a day before his birthday," he said. "The family tried contacting him on his birthday but never heard back."

A day later they tracked down the number of the restaurant owner and were informed of the incident, he said.

The family is now urging both the federal and state governments to ensure his body is repatriated to India so that they can perform his final rites.

In Sunam village, relatives are mourning the death of Ravinder Singh and his wife.

"They had gone to Georgia in March after spending 1.3m rupees ($15,310; £12,060) seeking a better future," Singh's uncle Kuldeep Singh Bawa Kainchi told BBC Punjabi.

Gudauri is a popular tourist destination for skiing and snowboarding 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 ancient Georgian Military Road connecting Russia with Georgia.

Gudauri is located in the Caucasus mountains in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region at around 2,200m (7,200ft) above sea level and is about 120km (75 miles) north of Georgia's capital Tbilisi.

Additional reporting by Gurminder Singh in Punjab

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