‘Sent voice note on WhatsApp before dying’: Indian man killed in Saudi Arabia crossfire; government making efforts to bring back body

A man from Jharkhand’s Giridih district was killed in Saudi Arabia earlier this month after getting caught in a crossfire between local police and suspected bootleggers, according to officials and his family members.

The Jharkhand labour department contacted the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Friday to facilitate the return of the body of a 26-year-old youth, officials said.




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

“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,” Lakra said.

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

“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,” Ali said, adding that the shootout was between Jeddah police and an extortion gang.

“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,” Ali added.