Body of Rajasthan man who committed suicide in Saudi, reaches Jaipur

The long wait of family members of Raju Das came to an end when his body arrived at Jaipur airport from Saudi Arabia after 90 days of his death. Raju, a native of Barmer village died under suspicious circumstances in Riyadh where he was working as a shepherd.
 
 
Within four months of joining his new job in Riyadh, Raju, a 37-year-old resident of Kasmir village in Barmer district of Rajasthan, died on February 19 in the Saudi Arabia capital. After the intervention of Indian Embassy in Riyadh, his body was dispatched on Friday by the Saudi Arabia authorities. Since noon family members and neighbours of Das who had come from his village, 400 kms away from the capital, were waiting in the lawns of the airport. His body arrived at 4:15 PM in Etihad Airlines 208 - direct flight between Riyadh and Jaipur. Airport authorities handed over his body to his brother Bhupendas and Kumbha Ram. "I am happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because we were able to get his body back and sad because his death has left the family shattered. In last three months, his wife and children have almost become lifeless." Raju's brother Bhupendas told DH. According to his brother, he got a job of a shepherd to graze cattle in Riyadh. The job was suggested to him by his brother in law. As per an official at district administration around 250 people from Barmer are working in Saudi Arabia as labourers or cattle rearers.
 
 
On February 20, Raju’s  family received the news of his death from a relative who too worked at Saudi Arabia. Since then the family had been seeking help from the district administration and politicians, including BJP legislator Manvendra Singh, to bring back his body. "Soon after his family members approached me, I got in touch with the Indian Embassy officials in Riyadh. The delay happened firstly because it was a suicide case and Saudi Arabia police do not hand over body till they are satisfied with the investigation. Police officials were communicating with me on regular basis and I used to inform his family members. After the police investigation  was done, the second thing that delayed the process was non-availability of a local document known as 'Iqama', usually sponsor of the visa has to produce it." Manvendra Singh told DH.
 
 
Both Manvendra Singh and  Raju’s family is thankful to Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj for speeding up the process and bringing body of the deceased back to India.
 
Last rituals will be carried on Saturday in his village at Barmer, family members informed. Raju Das is survived by his 65-year-old mother, 70-year-old father, wife Guddi Devi and two children Ramesh 5 years and Kavita 3 years.