‘Manslaughter’ case slapped after 11 Indians die in sleep in Georgian resort

A case of manslaughter has been registered against the Indian owner of a restaurant named 'Haveli' in a Georgian resort after 11 Indian-origin workers and one Georgian national were found dead on Saturday due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Under Article 116 of the Georgian Law, ‘Killing by negligence’ of two or more persons shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of three to five years. 

An external affairs ministry source said: "This seems to be a case of carbon monoxide poisoning. They (11 Indian nationals) were employees of an Indian restaurant 'Haveli', in Gudauri, Georgia. Local authorities are investigating, and an Embassy official is on site as well."

'Haveli' served Indian, Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Afghan, and Arab cuisines.

All the 11 deceased were from North India while an exact state-wise breakup was yet to come. The bodies were found on the second floor of a building where the Indian food restaurant was located.

Famous for skiing and snowboarding, Gudauri, located at about 2,200 metres above sea level, is about 120 km north of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.

Media quoted the local police as saying that preliminary tests didn’t indicate any violence on the bodies and that it seemed to be an accident. A forensic investigation was already on to determine the exact cause of the deaths.

The report also said that an oil-powered generator had been turned on after the building lost electricity on Friday. The generator was close to the bedrooms of the deceased.

Traditionally, Georgia has been a popular place of choice for Indian students, particularly for medical education. About 11,000 Indian students are enrolled in various medical institutions. Many students had also come from Ukraine after the Russian invasion that began on February 24, 2022.

Of late, many Indians, particularly from Punjab, have entered the food, catering and hospitality business in Georgia leading to a spurt in Indian-owned hotels.