Body Of Odia Worker Suffocated To Death In Bahrain To Arrive In Bhubaneswar Today

Bhubaneswar: The body of an Odia migrant worker, Debasish Sahoo (26), will arrive at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here on Friday afternoon en route to his native village of Chandbali in Bhadrak district for cremation.

Debasish was among three Indian migrant workers who had died while carrying out maintenance work in a manhole at Bani Jamra in Bahrain on November 16.

The health authorities in Bahrain ruled the cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to methane gas suffocation.

As per a prima facie investigation, it was found that gas detectors were not used at the site and the workers were not provided with safety equipment such as oxygen masks with cylinders before carrying out the job.

Following Debasish’s death, Bahrain Odia Samaj founder Arun Kumar Praharaj raised the issue with the local as well as Indian authorities for delivery of justice to the deceased worker.

Praharaj also appealed to the Indian Embassy in Bahrain, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra and Convenor of Odisha Mo Pariwar Arup Pattanaik to intervene in the matter so that Debasish’s body could be sent back to Odisha.

He also coordinated with the deceased’s cousin, Golak Behera, to arrange all necessary documents to file the claim for terminal benefits and compensation as well as arrange to send Debasish’s body to Odisha.

Finally after a long drawn procedure, Debasish’s mortal remains were brought from Bahrain to Mumbai aboard an Air India flight on November 26. A connecting domestic Air India Flight from Mumbai will transport the body from Mumbai to Bhubaneswar on Friday.