4 min readNew Delhi, ThiruvananthapuramApr 16, 2023 11:53 PM IST
First published on: Apr 16, 2023 at 11:27 AM IST
An ex-serviceman from Kerala was killed in Khartoum on Saturday after being hit by stray bullets amid the ongoing violent conflict between the country’s army and paramilitary in Sudan’s capital city.
The victim has been identified as Albert Augustine, 48, a native of Nellippara village in Kannur district. He has been working as a security manager with a firm in Sudan. Another Keralite working in Albert’s neighbourhood in Sudan informed his Alavellil family in Kannur about the tragedy.
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said he was “deeply grieved” over the death of the Indian national in Sudan.
According to Alakode village panchayat president K M Joseph, Albert was hit by a bullet when he opened a window of his house. “Albert retired from the Indian Army six years back. Last year, he went to Sudan to work as a security chief in a firm. Two weeks back, his wife Sybella, along with their daughter, a school student, had gone to Sudan to join the husband for a short vacation,’’ he said.
Quoting details from Sudan, Joseph said due to heavy exchange of gunfire, local people could not go to the premises where Albert was killed by stray bullets. “We were told that there was an instruction to the people not to venture out of their premises due to the internal strife. Albert was hit by the bullet when he tried to open the window to make a call to his son who studies in the UK,’’ he said.
Later on Sunday, a devastated Sybella sent an audio clip to her family in Kannur, in which she was heard pleading for help. In the audio clip, sybella said, “It is almost 24 hours after the mishap. The body could not be moved out as there was no ambulance. Last night, my daughter and I were in the room of a colleague of my husband. As even that room is not safe, we have moved to the basement of the apartment. We are totally helpless and so far, no local contacts or help could reach us. Please help us.’’
Officials of NORKA ROOTS, the Kerala government department for non-resident Keralites affairs, said they have not got any official communication about the incident.
The Indian embassy in Khartoum said Augestine was working in a Dal Group Company in Sudan.
Condoling the death, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the situation in Khartoum remains one of “great concern” and that India will continue to monitor the developments in that country.
“It has been reported that Albert Augestine, an Indian National working in a Dal Group Company in Sudan who got hit by a stray bullet yesterday succumbed to his injuries,” the Indian mission tweeted.
“The embassy is in touch with family and medical authorities to make further arrangements,” it said.
Sudan’s military captured power in a coup in October 2021 and it has been running the country through a sovereign council since then. There has been a dispute between the Army and the paramilitary over a proposed timeline for handing over power to a civilian government. —(With ENS, Delhi)
Smoke is seen rising from a neighbourhood in Khartoum. (AP) 
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