Hyderabad: Mohammed Munna, the son of Mohammed Sharif, is in a state of shock and despair after his father’s body was repatriated before he could see him one last time.
Mohammed Sharif, a native of Kamareddy district in India, had travelled to Saudi Arabia to work as a driver for a cleaning company in Riyadh. He arrived on June 3 and assured his family of his safe arrival.
However, Sharif went incommunicado shortly after, with his mobile phone remaining switched off. Just four days later, on June 7, his body was discovered in Aziziah Park, Riyadh. Despite this, his identity was only confirmed 45 days after his death, and his body was repatriated to India last week.
Munna, who was working in Al Baha, approximately 900 kilometres from Riyadh, learned of his father’s death through his mother. He was desperate to travel to Riyadh to see his father one last time but faced significant hurdles. Without an Iqama, the mandatory residency visa for expatriates, Munna could not legally travel within Saudi Arabia.
Despite numerous efforts, Munna managed to reach Riyadh only to find that his father’s body had already been sent back to India. Now stranded, Munna is without money or shelter.
He claims his employer has not paid him for several months, exacerbating his dire situation. His employer’s company is reportedly blacklisted and facing legal issues, preventing Munna and other employees from travelling abroad or renewing their Iqamas.
A distraught Munna cried for help in a video that surfaced on social media. He has appealed to the Indian authorities to help him get back to his family in India. “I am starving and crying for help. Please bring me back to my country,” he implored.
In the last month, as many as five cases of stranded Indian employees from Telugu-speaking states in the Gulf have come to light highlighting exploitation.
