DIPLOMATIC support has been promised to a family concerned about the delay in receiving the body of an Indian expatriate who died in Bahrain after finding out that his sweetheart had married another man.
Arjunkumar Babajilingam, 22, from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, was found hanged from a tree near his Sanad accommodation on the morning of October 9.
Members of his family have contacted the Indian Embassy and social workers saying they were desperately awaiting news.
“The embassy is aware of the situation, and we are in contact with both the family and the employer of the deceased,” a senior diplomat at the Indian Embassy told the GDN. “We are also in contact with the local authorities.”
According to sources close to the family, the restaurant waiter became depressed after finding out that his girlfriend had married another man in India. He spoke of his heartache on social media, prompting concerned friends and family to reach out to him the day before he died.
“His WhatsApp status said in Tamil that ‘Nobody can hurt him once he is dead’ and several similar thoughts were reflected on his social media accounts as well,” said a friend of Mr Babajilingam in India.
“I called him right away, and he told me that he was devastated that his girlfriend had married another man whom she met on social media.
“Arjun had been in a relationship with her for a while and they had plans to wed.
“I told him to relax and even suggested that he take a break and come back home to India, despite the fact that he had only been at this job in Bahrain for around eight months.
“His family had also spoken to him and he sounded better when I finished the call – but it appears that he took his own life later that night, leaving us all stunned.”
Mr Babajilingam’s brother Ganesh Kumar thanked social workers and diplomats for their help but said he had yet to speak to anyone from the company his sibling worked for.
“We sent all of the necessary documents, and we hope to receive my brother’s body within the next two days – it’s been 10 days and a long and sad wait,” he said.
“We learnt that a friend saw him hanged from a tree near their lodgings early one morning.
“I had spoken to him just the day before. He was upset and appeared drunk but I never imagined he would commit suicide.
“We were stunned. We couldn’t reach his sponsors by telephone which left us feeling helpless. We then contacted social workers and the embassy and have been informed that the documentation for the body repatriation is nearly complete.”
The family comes from the Villupuram district on the way to Pondicherry.
Another Indian expatriate Vishnudas Vasu, 27, from Kerala’s Palakkad, died on the same day and the authorities believe he also took his own life. And, an unnamed Indian woman reportedly committed suicide in Bahrain on Monday. No further details were available on these tragedies.
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