Jharkhand News: Jharkhand Migrant Worker Dies in Malaysia, Family Urges Government for Body Retrieval

Ranchi, December 11, 2024: A young migrant worker from Jharkhand tragically lost his life in Malaysia after falling from a tower. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, involved Jagdish Mahato, a 22-year-old resident of Kari Khurd village in the Bokaro district. Mahato was working at AG Power Company when the fatal accident occurred. His family, devastated by his untimely death, is now pleading to the Jharkhand government to help retrieve his body for proper last rites.

Migrant Worker’s Death: A Growing Issue for Jharkhand Families

Jagdish Mahato was the sole breadwinner of his family, supporting his wife and two young children, aged seven and five. His sudden death has left his family, including his aging parents, in a state of grief. The family has urgently requested that the Jharkhand government assist in bringing his body back from Malaysia so they can carry out the final rites according to tradition.

This tragic incident is part of a broader issue faced by many families in Jharkhand. Migrant workers from the state often face fatal accidents while working abroad, especially in hazardous conditions. The death of Jagdish Mahato highlights the ongoing crisis and the growing number of migrant worker deaths from Jharkhand, which has left many families without closure due to the complicated and costly process of retrieving bodies from foreign countries.

Family’s Heartfelt Plea: A Call for Government Action

In response to this incident, Sikandar Ali, a local social activist working on behalf of migrant workers, has appealed to the Jharkhand government to take swift action. Ali expressed his condolences to Mahato’s family and emphasized that this is not an isolated case. The loss of young workers from Jharkhand has been a recurring issue, and families often struggle to retrieve their loved ones’ bodies due to logistical and financial challenges.

Ali has urged the government to facilitate the return of migrant workers’ bodies from foreign countries, particularly Malaysia, where many workers are employed in construction and other high-risk sectors. This tragedy underscores the need for improved support from the state government in ensuring that the families of deceased migrant workers receive the necessary assistance during such trying times.

Migrant Labor: An Ongoing Crisis for Jharkhand

The issue of migrant worker deaths is not new to Jharkhand. As the state continues to face limited employment opportunities, many young people are forced to migrate to foreign countries in search of better prospects. Unfortunately, this often exposes them to dangerous working conditions, as was the case with Mahato.

The situation has raised significant concerns among activists, who are calling on the government to address these issues by creating more local job opportunities to prevent the need for young workers to migrate. The ongoing deaths of migrant workers underscore the need for better safety standards in foreign workplaces and a more robust system to assist migrant workers and their families.

A Bigger Issue: Safety and Employment for Migrant Workers

The lack of sufficient local employment options is a root cause of the high number of Jharkhand’s migrant workers, many of whom face perilous working conditions abroad. Countries like Malaysia, the UAE and other Southeast Asian nations are major destinations for Jharkhand’s labor force, but workers often encounter unsafe working environments, leading to accidents and fatalities.

The state government’s inability to provide enough job opportunities within Jharkhand has pushed its young workforce to seek employment in foreign lands, with tragic consequences. The need for greater focus on creating safe, local employment opportunities and improving working conditions for migrant laborers has never been more pressing.

As Jharkhand continues to deal with this crisis, both families and activists are urging the government to take immediate action, not only to facilitate the safe return of migrant workers’ bodies but also to address the root causes of this recurring tragedy by fostering local job growth and improving safety standards abroad.