MAYILADUTHURAI: A 21-year-old man from a village in Mayiladuthurai, who had gone to work in Kuwait, died within a month of starting work, his family has alleged, demanding an inquiry into his death and repatriation of his body. The family claimed the man, hired to work as a driver, was forced to herd cattle and was tortured by his employer.
S Sarbudeen, from Thirukalacheri village, went to Kuwait on January 3, said his father S Sulthan Mohideen, a 50-year-old labourer. Three days later, the family said they’d received a very disturbing phone call from him. “My son said his employer was using him to herd cattle in the desert, assaulting him and torturing him. They took the phone from him while he was speaking to us and we never heard from him again, despite trying multiple times. Then on Wednesday, they told us he’d died on January 29,” said Mohideen.
Sarbudeen was trained as an AC mechanic and also was hired to drive vehicles. Aside from his parents, he has two elder sisters. According to his family, he received a visa to work as a driver in Kuwait and got the job through an agent in Tharangambadi. After the January 6 phone call, Mohideen said they asked a relative to visit Sarbudeen’s workplace to check on him but the relative was assaulted and threatened with dire consequences if he returned. The family approached the agent but said the agent was unhelpful.
Mayiladuthurai man death: Kin demands autopsy, probe
On Thursday, the family along with cadres from MMK and TMMK visited the Mayiladuthurai district collectorate and submitted a petition seeking repatriation of Sarbudeen’s body, an autopsy and detailed investigation.
O Shelk Alauddin, MMK’s Mayiladuthurai district president said, “We request the state government to communicate with the Ministry of External Affairs to bring his body soon. The governments and MEA should raise awareness among people so they avoid becoming entrapped abroad in slavery and bondage by the promise of skilled jobs.”
Collector AP Mahabharathi said the district administration had raised the issue with the state. “We will investigate the problem further and try to raise awareness on being careful while seeking job opportunities abroad,” he said.