Sheikh Abdullah Abdul Majeed, 56, (left), a Tiruchirappalli resident; N. Balaji (centre), a resident of Thiruvanaikovil; S. Alagurajan, 38, (right), a resident of Crawford, Tiruchirappalli, died in the Vietnam boat accident.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Grief engulfed the family of N. Balaji, 44, a resident of Thiruvanaikovil in Tiruchirappalli, who was among those killed in the boat accident near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam on Saturday (July 11, 2026).
Balaji, a B. Com graduate and a manager at Sellmore Marketing Pvt. Ltd. in Ariyamangalam, had travelled to Vietnam along with his colleagues as part of an incentive trip organised by Lava Mobiles. “We were waiting for him to return home in two days. This news has shattered us,” his uncle Govindarajan told The Hindu.
Balaji had left for Vietnam on the night of July 8 and was scheduled to return in two days. He was the sole breadwinner of the family and is survived by his mother, wife, and two sons aged 13 and 10. Family members said his employer has been in touch with the authorities and is coordinating efforts related to the incident. The family is now awaiting the repatriation of his mortal remains from Vietnam.
Tiruchi resident Sheikh Abdullah Abdul Majeed, 56, was also among those who died in the accident. Abdul Majeed is survived by his wife and two children. He was a dealer of Lava Mobiles products in the city and had travelled to Vietnam as part of the business tour hosted by the parent company.
Family members who had gathered at his home in Tiruchirappalli on Saturday (July 11, 2026) said that they were waiting for further information from Indian government authorities in Vietnam.
S. Alagurajan, 38, a sales manager for Lava Mobiles overseeing Tiruchirappalli, Karur and Thanjavur districts, was among those who died in the Vietnam tragedy. He is a resident of Crawford and is survived by his wife and two sons. He had travelled to Vietnam on the company-sponsored trip after achieving a three-month sales target.
The family learnt about the tragedy only around 3 p.m. through members of the Tiruchi Mobile Sangam. “We have spoken to Minister Ramesh, who assured us that steps would be taken immediately to facilitate the return of the mortal remains,” said Ragunath, his colleague.
Published – July 12, 2026 12:40 pm IST
