Tragedy struck anew for Vijay Kumar Mahto’s kin when his body, delayed 120 days from Saudi Arabia, landed in Ranchi—only to be shunned amid compensation wrangling. The Giridih native perished in a Jeddah shootout last October, a victim of police-gang violence while toiling on infrastructure.
Funneled through Mumbai airports, the remains hit RIMS mortuary Saturday. Family spokesperson Ram Prasad Mahto laid bare their stance: no retrieval sans documented employer pledges. ‘Vijay meant the world to us,’ he shared, ‘yet his widow, preschoolers, and frail parents demand security. Vague company talk won’t suffice.’
The employer’s reticence fuels the impasse. Jharkhand officials tendered 5 lakh immediate relief, but eyes remain on the Saudi employer. As per Migrant Cell director Shikha Lakda, adjudication in Jeddah courts will settle dues, with state aid confined to logistics and liaison.
Vijay’s story mirrors a darker reality for India’s migrant labor force. Annually, lakhs venture to the Middle East, braving risks for remittances that sustain villages back home. Fatal mishaps expose chinks: protracted body returns, insurance ambiguities, and cross-nation legal hurdles. Experts urge policy overhauls, including mandatory employer bonds and expedited claims.
With the clock ticking on mortuary storage, pressure mounts for resolution. This refusal isn’t defiance, but desperation—a family’s bid to forge stability from sorrow. Broader reforms could avert future heartbreaks, safeguarding those who build foreign dreams at personal peril.