Lulu Group International, a Gulf company, fired an Indian national from Kerala after he allegedly posted insensitive comments about flood victims in his home state.

According to reports, the services of Rahul Cheru Palayattu, who worked as a cashier with the company’s Oman branch, were terminated after he mocked the sanitary needs of flood victims in response to an appeal for help by volunteers on Facebook.

The termination letter signed by Lulu’s HR manager in Oman, Nasr Mubarak Salem Al Maawali, reads, “This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India.”

“You are hereby instructed to handover all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement,” the letter added.

Following heat over his remarks, Palayattu apologised saying that he was in an inebriated state when he made the comments.

“I am really sorry for what I did. I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake,” he said in a video message posted on Facebook.

In a statement, V Nandakumar, the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) of Lulu group, said, “We took immediate steps to terminate his services and send out a very loud and clear message to the society about our stance in such issues. We as an organization have always stood for humanitarian values and highest ethical practices.”

The company, which has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, was founded in 2000 by an Indian, Yusuff Ali MA, who hails from Thrissur in Kerala. Ali, who serves as the managing director of the company, has so far donated 9.23 million dirhams (approx Rs 175.11 million) towards relief and rehabilitation work in Kerala.

Heavy rains since 8 August have led to the worst floods in Kerala since 1924. According to reports, 370 people have lost their lives with 13 deaths reported on Sunday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday that the state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore due to the deluge.

The state has been receiving financial assistance from across the country as well as abroad from governments and volunteer groups in a mark of appreciable solidarity with the affected people of Kerala.