Kenya seige: Indian victim's body to arrive in Bangalore

Bangalore: The body of city businessman Sudharshan B Nagraj, who was shot dead in Kenya's Westgate Mall terror attack, will be brought to the city on September 26, according to the victim's elder brother. "The 50-year-old's body will arrive on Thursday morning," Mr Sudarshan's elder brother Ram Prasad told PTI.

Mr Prasad said the family members attempted to contact the authorities, including the hotel manager where he had checked in, before an official in the Indian Embassy in Kenya informed them about Mr Sudarshan's death. Mr Prasad said Mr Sudarshan had contacted his family on September 21 enquiring about actor Dilip Kumar's health condition.

"He had called us to know whether the thespian, who was admitted in a Mumbai hospital, died. He heaved a sigh of relief when we said he was recovering. You know, he was very fond of old actors," Mr Prasad said. He said his brother was running multi-business and flew to Nairobi on September 20 with regard to printing and publication business. "He was supposed to fly to Uganda on September 22 for another business," Mr Prasad.

"The CEO of the hotel, where Sudarshan had checked in, told us that my brother had gone out on September 21 in the morning for shopping, keeping his bag back in the room," Mr Prasad said. When the family tried to contact Sudarshan on his mobile the same evening, it was unreachable and the next moment tension gripped family members, Mr Prasad said.

Until September 23, the family members made several calls to the authorities concerned in Nairobi. Later, the family received a call from Indian Embassy in Nairobi about the tragic death of Sudarshan, Mr Prasad said. The Embassy officials said he was shot dead by Islamist terrorists at close range in his forehead, chest and under-arms in Westgate mall.

"He was an Ajaata Shatru (one who does not have any enemy) because he could make any enemy a friend. He had that charisma. Why did this happen to my brother who had no enemies," Mr Prasad asked.