Administrator
01 November 2025
*Picture of Vijay Kumar Mahato, a resident of Giridih district of Jharkhand, who died in crossfire between cops and drug smugglers in Saudi Arabia, was an employee of Hyundai Engineering and Construction
The death of a 27-year-old resident of Jharkhand in Saudi Arabia last month, after getting caught in a crossfire between local police and suspected liquor smugglers, has shocked leaders in Jharkhand.
Dumri MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato wrote to the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia, demanding an impartial investigation into the matter.
In his letter, the Mahato said a thorough investigation should be conducted into the death of Vijay, and arrangements should be made to bring back his body to India soon.
Mahato urged the embassy to ensure the bereaved family was provided with legal and financial assistance.
Shikha Lakra, team leader at the Migrant Control Cell, confirmed that the department received information about the incident and a formal request from Giridih to repatriate the remains.
“We got in touch with the Indian embassy immediately and are trying to contact Jeddah police authorities to complete the formalities and bring back the body to his native place,” Lakra told PTI.
The victim, Vijay Kumar Mahato, a resident of Dudhapania village in Giridih district, had been working in a private company as a tower line fitter for the past nine months.
The victim, employed with Hyundai Engineering and Construction, had gone to the work site to collect materials on the instructions of a senior company official when local police opened fire during an anti-smuggling operation.
Mahato, who was passing by the scene, was accidentally shot by police. He was then hospitalised in an injured condition, but succumbed on October 24.
Then,Vijay sent a voice note on his WhatsApp to his wife saying he was hurt after being injured in a crossfire. His family initially believed he had survived after being injured, news agency PTI reported.
"He had sent a voice message on WhatsApp to his wife, Basanti Devi, saying he was caught in a crossfire and had been hurt," said Sikander Ali, a social activist who works on migrant worker issues.
"Devi informed her in-laws, but they thought he was being treated. It was only on October 24 that his company told the family he had died in the shootout," Ali added.
Officials from Jharkhand’s labour department said they were working with Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia to bring Mahato’s body home.
Shikha Lakra, team leader at the Migrant Control Cell, confirmed that the department received information about the incident and a formal request from Giridih to repatriate the remains.
“We got in touch with the Indian embassy immediately and are trying to contact Jeddah police authorities to complete the formalities and bring back the body to his native place,” Lakra told PTI.
Vijay is survived by his wife, Basanti Devi, sons Rishi Kumar (5) and Roshan Kumar (3), his father, Suryanarayan Mahato, and his mother, Savitri Devi.
