Jharkhand youth killed in Jeddah shootout; govt contacts Indian embassy to repatriate mortal remains

A 26-year-old man hailing from Jharkhand's Dumri block in Giridih was reportedly killed in a shootout in Jeddah on October 16. The state Labour Department has reached out to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to assist in bringing his body back to India, according to officials.

Shikha Lakra, team leader at the Migrant Control Cell under the labour department informed that the department received information from Giridih about the death of a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia and a request to bring back his mortal remains, a report by PTI noted.

Lakra mentioned, "We got in touch with the Indian Embassy immediately and are trying to contact Jeddah police authorities for completing the formalities and then bring back the body to his native place in Jharkhand.”

How did man's family get to know about his demise?

In a conversation with PTI, Sikander Ali, a social activist working on migrant worker issues stated that the youth, identified as Vijay Kumar Mahato, a native of Dudhpaniya village in Madh Gopali panchayat under Dumri block of Giridih district, had been employed as a tower line fitter in a private company for the past nine months.

While claiming that the shootout happened between Jeddah police and an extortion gang, Ali said, "He had sent a voice message on WhatsApp to his wife Basanti Devi on October 16 that he was caught in a crossfire and sustained injuries. Devi informed her in-laws, but they were under the impression that he was being treated. On October 24 the firm where he worked informed them that he had died in the shootout.”

He added, “I came to know about the case on Friday and informed the state labour department and the Giridih district administration not only to bring back the body, but to ensure compensation from Saudi Arabia authorities for the poor family members of the victim."

Jharkhand govt sets up contact with 48 migrants workers

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Labour Department set up the contact with 48 migrant workers from the state stranded in Tunisia, North Africa, through the Indian embassy, and is in the process of verifying their documents, officials said on Friday.

Lakra told PTI that after Chief Minister Hemant Soren's orders, they have managed to connect with the migrant workers and are coordinating with the Indian embassy in Tunisia. "We spoke to the migrant workers allegedly stranded by a private firm in Tunisia and are verifying their documents. We are also in touch with the Indian Embassy officials in Tunisia for arranging their safe return to their native places," Lakra stated.

While taking notice of the situation of the migrant workers, Soren took to X on Friday and instructed the deputy commissioners of three districts, Bokaro, Hazaribagh, and Giridih, to faciliate the workers' safe comeback.