Six months on, woman awaits son’s body from Saudi Arabia

GORAKHPUR A poor woman from Madhvalia village of Maharajganj whose son had gone to Saudi Arabia four years ago for earning money but was killed in a road accident there six months ago, is still waiting for his body.

Shukantala Devi recalls the fateful day when she received a call from her son’s employers informing about the death of her son Rajwant Chowdhry, 25, who flew to the Gulf country in 2014 leaving his wife and two small children behind.

Shakuntala, who made several rounds of Lucknow and Delhi seeking help from the chief minister and PMO, says: “My son was killed in a road accident in Saudi Arabia six months ago but his body has not been handed over to us. His young widow is completely shattered while my little grandchildren do not even know what has happened to their father. We have made several rounds of Lucknow (chief minister’s office) and Delhi (prime minister’s office) but to no avail. I appeal to the government of India to help me get my son’s body so that I can perform his last rites on the same soil where he was born.”

Meanwhile, district magistrate Virendra Kumar who was also approached by the woman says, “The ministry of external affairs has asked about information related to the incident on behalf of the government of India. We are trying our best to bring back the body and hand it over to the family.”

: