A 27-year-old migrant worker from Jharkhand's Giridih district was killed in Saudi Arabia earlier this month after being caught in police crossfire. The victim, Vijay Kumar Mahato, lived in Dudhapania village under Dumri block and worked for Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company on transmission line projects. According to reports from The Indian Express and Live Hindustan, the incident occurred on October 15 in the Jeddah region when Saudi police launched an operation against a local extortion gang involved in the illegal liquor trade. Vijay was walking near his worksite when he was hit by a stray bullet.

Final voice note to his wife 

Before dying, Vijay recorded a heartbreaking voice note to his wife in the Kortha language, saying he had been hit by a bullet“meant for someone else” and pleading for help. His brother-in-law, Ram Prasad Mahato, said that Vijay had gone to collect materials from his worksite on the instruction of a senior official when the firing began.“Vijay was nearby when the police opened fire. The bullet hit him by mistake,” Ram Prasad said. He added that Vijay was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries soon after. The family received confirmation of his death on October 24, more than a week later. Vijay leaves behind his wife, two young sons aged five and three, and his parents.

Family demands justice and compensation 

Following the incident, Dumri MLA Jayaram Kumar Mahato wrote to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, urging a fair and transparent probe and asking for immediate steps to repatriate Vijay's body. According to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, the case falls under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Jeddah. The CGI has termed the death“suspicious”, stating that the body remains in the custody of the Public Prosecution Office in Jumum, Makkah, until investigations are complete and a Police Clearance Certificate is issued. However, Vijay's family has refused to bring back the body until Hyundai Engineering provides written assurance of compensation.“We will not receive the body until we get a written assurance of compensation. The company must take responsibility,” Ram Prasad said.

The tragedy has once again raised concerns about the safety of Indian migrant workers in the Gulf region, where thousands of people from Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh seek employment each year. Local authorities in Jharkhand and the Indian Embassy are coordinating to ensure that Mahato's family receives assistance once the Saudi investigation concludes. 

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