GDN:Tragedy worker is free at last

By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 27 August 2006

A STRANDED Indian worker has finally had his passport returned by his sponsor, but only after a fourth member of his family committed suicide, it was claimed yesterday.

The GDN reported on August 15 that the financial problems of Ayyadurai Pavadai, aged 38, resulted in the suicides of his father, brother and sister-in-law in India.

However, on Friday his father’s brother also committed suicide back home, according to community volunteers.

Mr Pavadai, aged 38, has been working in Bahrain for the three years, but has allegedly been told by his Bahraini sponsor that he would not get his passport back unless he pays BD300.

By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 27 August 2006

A STRANDED Indian worker has finally had his passport returned by his sponsor, but only after a fourth member of his family committed suicide, it was claimed yesterday.

The GDN reported on August 15 that the financial problems of Ayyadurai Pavadai, aged 38, resulted in the suicides of his father, brother and sister-in-law in India.

However, on Friday his father’s brother also committed suicide back home, according to community volunteers.

Mr Pavadai, aged 38, has been working in Bahrain for the three years, but has allegedly been told by his Bahraini sponsor that he would not get his passport back unless he pays BD300.

The worker says he spent around BD1,350 on a visa and travel costs to come to Bahrain, which meant his father had to sell their only family property for Rs65,000 (BD600) to pay off the mounting interest and part of the principal amount.

However, the debt resulted in his father, brother and sister-in-law killing themselves in a span of just a few months. The death of Mr Pavadai’s uncle was the latest tragedy to hit the family.

Mr Pavadai had been issued an emergency out pass by the Indian Embassy, but his sponsor – a duty manager at a Juffair hotel – reportedly refused to co-operate, avoiding calls and summons from the embassy and General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence (GDNPR) officials.

However, the sponsor returned Mr Pavadai’s passport to the GDNPR yesterday and did not claim the money that he initially demanded.

Tamil Social and Cultural Association (TASCA) member Pada Lingan is helping Mr Pavadai both financially and emotionally.

“The embassy helped a lot and so did the GDNPR officials,” said Mr Lingan.

“An open ticket from the Sri Lankan Airlines has been booked and he will be leaving soon.

“A Bahraini man Ali Ahmed Ali Al Sahal who came to the GDNPR office for a personal purpose took pity on Mr Pavadai and helped him.”

Mr Lingan said the man took Mr Pavadai’s expired air ticket to renew it at a Manama travel agency and paid for the expense, as well as gave him BD10 for immediate expenses.

“A female employee from Gulf Air has also promised some financial aid to the poor man after reading about him from the GDN,” he said.

Mr Pavadai told the GDN that when the interest from the borrowed money began escalating, his father sold their small paddy field – the family’s only source of income – to pay the moneylender. But the elder brother, who did not approve of the sale, blamed the father for losing their livelihood.

When the father could not bear the blame, he committed suicide.

The villagers criticised the brother for being responsible for his father’s death and due to a guilty conscience he too took his life.

Not long after the two tragedies, the brother’s wife was devastated and also killed herself.

After the series of suicides and the family being looked upon as unfortunate by everyone, Mr Pavadai’s wife left the house with their two children – leaving behind the old and partially blind mother.

Mr Pavadai, who is completely shattered after the tragedy, apparently blames himself for the deaths and wants is to go back to what is left of his family, said Mr Lingan.

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