The families of seven workers who lost their lives in a recent crash on Dubai’s Emirates Road, have begun receiving financial assistance announced by Dubai-based Indian billionaire Dr Shamsheer Vayalil. Representatives travelled across villages in India and Sri Lanka to personally hand over the support.
The humanitarian assistance is part of a Dh1-million rehabilitation programme announced for the victims’ families. Under the initiative, each family of the deceased workers is receiving Dh100,000 (around Rs2.6 million). Education support for their children is also being planned.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Representatives visited the homes of the six Indian workers and one Sri Lankan national who died in the accident. They travelled to villages in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, as well as Mullaitivu in northern Sri Lanka, to meet the grieving families.
Families speak about their loss
In Telangana, the team met the families of Saleem Sayyed Hussain, Abdul Rafiq Abdul Raheem, and Thirupathi Gollapally Chandraiah.
Saleem, 51, had travelled to the UAE just over two months before the accident. According to his family, he hoped to earn enough to build a better home and support his children’s education. One of his children has health challenges, while the family was also preparing for his elder daughter’s marriage.
The parents of 23-year-old Thirupathi said he had travelled abroad for the first time only seven months earlier. They recalled how he regularly called home and spoke about adjusting to work and life in the UAE, including the challenges of working outdoors.
The family of Abdul Rafiq, 37, said they are now facing an uncertain future. He is survived by his wife and young daughter. His father, who had already lost two children in a road accident in 2015, said the family is once again trying to rebuild their lives after another devastating loss.
A promise to fulfil a daughter’s dream
One of the most emotional moments came during the visit to Mau in Uttar Pradesh.
The family of 39-year-old Markandey Chauhan Bhajjan Chauhan shared how he had spent years working in the Gulf to provide a better future for his wife and three children.
During a video call with the family, his 17-year-old daughter Ankita said she wanted to study BSc Nursing.
She was assured that support would be provided to help her complete her education. She was also told that once she finishes her course, she would be given an opportunity to work in the UAE.
Another family in Mau remembered Abdul Rasheed Zakir Husain, who had left for the UAE exactly two months before the accident.
“He had told us this would be his last journey abroad to find a job. He wanted to return and settle here with the money he earned,” said his brother-in-law.
In Bijnor, relatives of Mohammad Saqib Liyaqat Ali, 31, said he had travelled to Dubai for the first time around eight months ago. Although the family had asked him to return if he could not find suitable work, he decided to stay, hoping to build a better future for his mother and sisters.
Support crosses borders
The humanitarian assistance also reached Sri Lanka. Representatives travelled from Colombo to Mullaitivu to meet the family of Samuvel Rengasami, the only Sri Lankan worker who died in the accident.
He was the sole breadwinner of his family. His wife and young daughter are now trying to rebuild their lives after his death.
Help for injured workers
The support programme also includes financial assistance for the nine workers who were injured in the accident.
The amount has been provided based on the seriousness of their injuries and recovery needs.
Among the injured are eight Indian nationals from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Telangana and Bihar, along with one worker from Nepal.
Some have already received the assistance in the UAE, while others who have returned to India have received the amount directly in their bank accounts. Two workers who remain admitted to a hospital in Dubai have also received the financial support.
Speaking after the visits, Hafiz Ali, director of VPS Health, said the purpose was not only to provide financial assistance but also to let the families know that they have not been forgotten.
“We wanted to personally meet the families and tell them they are not alone. Their loved ones worked in the UAE, and this support is a message that people here remember them and stand with them during this difficult time,” he said.
Source: Khaleej Times