Union Minister Visits Late Soumya Santosh's Family

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan visited the residence and family of the late Soumya Santosh, the late Kerala woman killed by a rocket attack in Israel.

V Muraleedharan assured that the Centre would support the needs of Santosh’s nine-year-old son, including education. He said he visited Santosh’s family to convey Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s condolences and support to the family. Muraleedharan tweeted that he had been instructed by Modi to meet the family.

Visited the family of Soumya Santhosh, who died in the rocket strikes from Gaza in Ashkelon, Israel. Fell short of words to console the family, that has lost its loved one. @narendramodi @AmitShah @JPNadda @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/k2mmll2TNJ

— V Muraleedharan / വി മുരളീധരൻ (@VMBJP) May 21, 2021

Soumya Santosh was a caretaker who had been killed in a rocket attack on May 11. Her mortal remains arrived in New Delhi on May 15 was received by Muraleedharan. Muraleedharan said that he empathized with the pain and suffering of Santosh’s family.

Santosh had been based in Israel for the last seven years and was killed during airstrikes in Israeli. The caretaker was attending to an 80-year-old woman at her home. Both she and the elderly woman lost their lives in the airstrikes. She had been on a video call with her husband in Kerala when the rocket struck and the phone got disconnected. Her brother-in-law said that the family reached out to the other Malayalees working in Israeli and learned about the incident.

Santosh’s sister-in-law, who was also working in Israeli said that once she found out what transpired, she rushed over to the house. She said that the entire building had been destroyed and that “mortar landed on the house”.

On May 12, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured that Soumya Santosh’s body would be returned to Kerala. He said that “We are in touch with the Indian Embassy in Israel to ensure that the mortal remains of Soumya Santhosh who was killed in Israel are brought back to Kerala & handed over to her family as soon as possible.”

Israel ambassador to India Ron Malka tweeted that he had spoken to Santosh’s family and “expressed my sorrow for their unfortunate loss”. He also extended condolences on the behalf of Israel.

Israel Deputy Envoy Ron Yedidia Clein said that Israeli authorities would look after Santosh’s family in compensation for their loss.