Relatives of an Indian expat who was apparently killed while on the job at a construction site in Qatar on Jan. 10 are asking that his body be returned and for compensation for his death, the Jagran Post reports.

According to the Indian newspaper, Ramji Yadav moved to Qatar late last year to work as a laborer and was the sole breadwinner for his family. Yadav hailed from Amthua, a village in the Indian state of Bihar.

Earlier this month, he fell 20 stories while he was working on unfolding the shuttering of a building. Yadav was taken to the hospital but died while receiving treatment, the report states.

It continues:

The victim’s employer ITBC is reportedly unregistered. Now question arises that if the body will be brought back to India when the employer of the victim is not registered?

…Social activist (Maaz) Khan said, “The incident of Amthua puts a question mark on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s claim that the migration from the state has come to an end. Over 100 workers from this small village are earning their livelihood in the Arab countries.”

Construction safety and workers’ rights have been in the spotlight for Qatar following the awarding of 2022 World Cup hosting rights and the ramping up of infrastructure projects here. 

Just last week, a confederation of trade unions lodged a “forced labor” claim against the country to the United Nations’ International Labour Organization. 

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo of construction site for illustrative purposes only by Sam Agnew