Dubai: An Indian labourer who lost his memory and broke his leg after a fall from the ninth floor of a worksite in December, has been reunited with his family.
Ashok Choudhari, 34, from the Indian state of Bihar, flew home with an escort on Thursday with help from the authorities and social workers,
The worksite accident had taken place while Choudhari was doing aluminium fabrication work at a building under construction in Ajman, said Roop Sidhu, general secretary of Indian Association Ajman.
“He had broken his leg after falling onto a lift that carries construction materials and slipped into a coma. He gained consciousness after two brain surgeries and underwent another surgery for his leg,” said Sidhu, who coordinated with Ajman and Indian authorities to repatriate Choudhari.
He said Ajman Police had referred Choudhari’s case to the association. “We took it up with the Indian Consulate in Dubai.”
Sumathi Vasudev, acting consul general of India in Dubai, said the consulate managed to get his contact details from the passport number. “Then with the help of Bihar police, we got in touch with the family.”
Choudhari was on a visit visa and did not have any medical insurance.
Considering a request from the consulate through the association, Khalifa Hospital in Ajman waived his hospital bills, while the Ajman immigration officials waived his immigration fines.
“There is a case going on in the court. But he was allowed to go home considering his health condition,” said Sidhu.
“We also managed to get a compensation of Rs350,000 (Dh18,702) for his family from the company he worked for. This will be sent to his family tomorrow. This will be adjusted against the compensation that the court orders.”
Vasudev, Sidhu and a protocol officer from the consulate went to the airport to see off Choudhari on Thursday.
However, his 14-year-old brother Santosh Choudhari told Gulf News over phone that his brother could not recognise anyone at home.
“He is still in a bad condition. He can’t recognise any of us … He is not talking properly, he is soiling his pants and he sometimes gets violent also. Because of his leg problem he also keeps falling down. We are not in a position to give him further treatment.”
He said Choudhari is the eldest of six siblings and is married with two young daughters.
“He was the main bread winner for all of us.”
