The Andhra Pradesh government yesterday paid Rs. 6 lakh as compensation to the family of a couple killed in the crane accident at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi Arabian holy city of Mecca.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu presented cheques of Rs. 3 lakh each to the two sons of the couple in Vijayawada.
Mr Abdul Khader (38) and his wife Fatima Begum (32) from Machilipatnam in Krishna district were killed in the accident.
Their sons — Mohammed Muskan (6) and Khaja Mohiuddin (9) — received the cheques from the chief minister in the presence of Minorities and NRI Affairs Minister Palle Raghunath Reddy and other ministers.
Expressing his condolences over the death of the couple, the Chief Minister said the government would provide ration card, house site to the family and ensure that their children were educated.
Eleven Indians were among over 100 piligrims killed in the tragedy on September 11.
Saudi Arabia has announced one million Saudi riyal (Rs. 1.75 crore) to the families of killed or permanently disabled.
