Body of Indian worker to be repatriated today

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A worker is showing the documents of Lalan Choudhari who is died in his room at the labor camp in Ajman
A worker is showing the documents of Lalan Choudhari who is died in his room at the labor camp in Ajman

Ajman - The worker, L.C., is believed to have died due to a heat-related brain haemorrhage.

by

Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Tue 25 Aug 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 26 Aug 2015, 2:02 AM

The body of a worker who died in an Ajman labour accommodation will finally be repatriated to India today - 15 days after his death.
The worker, L.C., is believed to have died due to a heat-related brain haemorrhage. The body has been in a morgue near the Shaikh Khalifa Hospital in Ajman since August 10. He died on August 9.
The body will be repatriated to his hometown in Rajasthan and will be accompanied by his brother, Sanjay Chowdhari, who works as a plumber for a company in Abu Dhabi.
An employee of Essa Engineering and Marine Services LLC, L.C. was one of the 220 employees who went without food and essential supplies for several months.
Due to a legal quandary between partners of the company, the men have not been paid for eight months. Company PRO Obaid Mohammed said the delay was caused since the company has been trying to procure funds towards his repatriation. The company has managed to raise the funds and will pay for all repatriation costs and flight tickets for the body and Sanjay.
"I arrived at (L.C.'s) labour accommodation in Ajman after I heard of his death. Our family has been stressed for weeks due to the delay in repatriation of the body ... We can finally perform his final rites, which will last 15 days," Sanjay told Khaleej Times over the phone. L.C. has left behind two small children, aged five and two years. "I don't know how we will raise them without him," said a weeping Chowdhari.
"His wife will be given the dues from L.C's company. However, I am still required to produce a power of attorney from a lawyer back in India to claim the funds ... That can be done only once I return from India," he said.
Mohammed said L.C.'s dues will be given to his family as soon as they provide a power of attorney. "(We received) his papers for repatriation from the Ministry of Labour and the death certificate from the Ministry of Health ... only on ... August 23."
Ready to help, says Indian consulate
The Indian consulate, which cancelled L.C.'s passport, told Khaleej Times they are willing to financially help the company to send his body back home. "In such cases, the Indian consulate usually provides funds from the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) ... However, we cannot take a unilateral decision in such matters and a request must be sent to the consulate," said Muralidharan K., acting Consul-General of the Consulate of India in Dubai.
He said L.C.'s papers and passport came through for cancellation at the consulate on Sunday. "We have a 24-hour service to expedite the paper work required for repatriation ... We even offered ... to help (the company), but we didn't receive a request from them."
Since L.Cs death and the condition of the workers has come to light, several Dubai and Sharjah residents have rushed to their aid, delivering food and other supplies.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

The labour accommodation in Ajman industrial area where the Indian worker died.
The labour accommodation in Ajman industrial area where the Indian worker died.

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