Jagtial man's 40-year desert life ended in Saudi

Bhiri Raja Mallaiah alias Abdur Rahman who have gone to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in search of work 40 years ago has died on August 30, 2020 at the age of 70 in a hospital. He was working with a General Agency and Contracting Company (GAC) in Saudi Arabia for the last 40 years.

Mallaiah, a native of Yekeenpur village in Korutla mandal of Jagtial district had gone to Saudi in December 1979 when he was 30 years. It was in 2002, Mallaiah's company got a work contract in Mecca and only Muslim employees are allowed to work. Mallaiah's job was in jeopardy and to retain it, he converted to Islam.

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased submitted a petition to the district collector of Jagtial seeking immediate repatriation of the body from Saudi Arabia. She also requested the Pravasi Mithra Labour Union to help them in this regard.

Mallaiah's wife Bhoomakka said that her husband visited home last time in October 2019. "My husband and I respected each other's religious beliefs after he converted to Islam and continued to live as a couple," she said.