AZAMGARH: Kanhaiya Yadav, a resident of Bankata village in Uttar Pradesh, who left for Russia in January to work as a cook, returned home almost a year later in a casket.
Yadav, 41, was enlisted in the Russian army shortly after arriving in the country and was sent to the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war, where he sustained injuries. After fighting for his life in a hospital, he died on 17 June, according to his family.
His mortal remains were finally brought back home on Monday.
Yadav had left for St. Petersburg, Russia, on 16 January after securing a work visa through an agent. He underwent training as a cook but was subsequently enlisted in the Russian army, said his wife, Geeta.
"On 9 May, Yadav informed us that he was injured in the fighting. He was in touch with us till 25 May, but there was no communication after that," she said.
On 6 December, the Indian embassy in Moscow informed the family that Yadav had died on 17 June while undergoing treatment at a hospital, she added.
Yadav’s body was brought back on Monday. Local administration officials, including Naib Tehsildar Sanjay Rai, accompanied his family to Babatpur Airport in Varanasi, where the body arrived. From the airport, his mortal remains were taken to his village.
Villagers gathered at Yadav’s home on Monday evening to bid him farewell.
Besides his wife, Yadav is survived by their two sons, Ajay (21) and Vijay (19).
Ajay said he last spoke to his father on 25 April, and he had assured him that he was in good health.
Ajay also claimed that the Russian government had announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh for his family, but they are yet to receive it.