Indian worker killed in Saudi crossfire, family grieving.
A sense of deep sorrow and disbelief has gripped Dudhapania village in Jharkhand’s Giridih district after news broke that 27-year-old Vijay Kumar Mahato, who had gone abroad to support his family, was killed in a crossfire in Saudi Arabia. Mahato, who worked with Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company in Jeddah, had been in the Kingdom for nearly a year, employed on a transmission line project. What was supposed to be another routine day at work turned into tragedy when he was caught in the middle of a gunfight between Saudi police and an extortion gang allegedly linked to the illegal liquor trade.
According to reports, the incident occurred on October 15. Mahato had reportedly gone to collect materials from his worksite on the instructions of a senior company official when the police opened fire during an operation. Stray bullets struck him, fatally injuring the young engineer. His family back in Jharkhand learned of his death only nine days later, on October 24.
Vijay leaves behind his wife, two young sons, and his aging parents. For his family, the news has been devastating. His wife, inconsolable since hearing the news, had last spoken to him just a day before the shooting. “He told us he was fine and busy with work,” said a relative. “We never imagined that call would be our last conversation with him.”
The family’s anguish has now turned into a plea for justice. They say that while the incident may have been accidental, the company must take responsibility for the safety of its employees working in foreign environments. Mahato’s brother-in-law, Ram Prasad Mahato, told The Indian Express that the family will not accept the body until Hyundai Engineering provides a written assurance of financial support and compensation. “The employer must take responsibility. We will not receive the body until we get written confirmation,” he said firmly.
Officials in Jharkhand have begun coordinating with Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia to expedite the investigation and repatriation process. Shikha Lakra, head of the State Migrant Control Cell under the Jharkhand Labour Department, said the matter has been referred to the Protector of Emigrants (Ranchi), the Indian Embassy “We are in touch with the concerned authorities to ensure that the family receives support and justice,” she stated.
Back in Dudhapania, the community is reeling. Friends and neighbors recall Vijay as a hardworking man who had left India to give his children a better life. His father, still struggling to process the loss, said quietly, “He went so far away just to earn for us. Now he is coming back in a coffin.”
Tragically, Mahato’s death is not an isolated incident. In a separate case, a 24-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, identified as Aas Mohammad Ansari, reportedly died by suicide in Riyadh on October 26 during a video call with his wife in India. According to reports, he took his life after a heated argument, adding another heartbreaking story to the struggles faced by many Indian workers abroad.
For Vijay Kumar Mahato’s family, the wait now is for answers—and for the safe return of their loved one’s remains. What they seek most is not just closure, but accountability and compassion from those responsible.