Indian died in Bahrain of natural causes: MEA

DENYING THAT an Indian was killed in Bahrain due to police action, the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said that the embassyhadtakenuptheissueof non-payment of salary to Indian workers. The Indian worker who died at the protests reportedly diedofnaturalcause,officialssaid.

Responding to queries, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, “M/sgpzachariadisoverseasltd, a construction company which employs nearly 1,500 Indian workers, has been faced with severe financial hardship. This has resultedinnon-paymentofsalary or dues to workers employed by thecompany.on3rdjanuary2017, nearly 350 workers at a site went on strike due to non-payment of salaryfornearlytwomonths.after intervention of the mission in associationwiththelabourministry, the company paid the pending salaries on 4th January, 2017.”

The company again failed to pay the next salary, which was due on January 12, 2017, he said, adding the mission immediately took up the matter with the Labour Ministry, which called the company management for a joint meeting the same day.

“On 15th January, nearly 200 workers of the company started a protest due to non-payment of their salary. The company approached the Bahraini Police authorities. During the protest, one oftheworkers,narayananpitchai, anindiannational,faintedandthis happened when police reached the site. He was taken to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead,” he added. The police confirmed to the embassy thatsinceitwasapeacefulprotest, nopoliceactionwastakenagainst them, the spokesperson said.

KARNATAKA