A HOMELESS Indian man who has been living in a Bahrain park for the past two years could soon be reunited with his family, after diplomats agreed to help.

Officials at the Indian Embassy are expected to issue runaway worker Ramalingam Murukeshan an out-pass after meeting him yesterday.

The GDN exclusively reported yesterday that the 38-year-old had been living at the Salmaniya Water Garden for the past two years.

His case came to light after he was spotted in the park by a member of the Bahrain Malayalee Business Forum, who alerted Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) member and Indian Embassy social worker Basheer Ambalayi.

“We have all the details and have asked them to fill out the form for an out-pass,” said an embassy spokesman.

“We need to send these details to the (Bahraini) authorities, who will take further action.”

He added it was impossible for the embassy to keep track of such cases and urged all illegal residents to come forward so they could receive help returning home.

“We didn’t know about the case until Mr Ambalayi shed light on it,” he added.

“We cannot know about workers living in the dark, hiding from their employers and not having money or shelter because of that.

“There are several Indians who live illegally and face problems as they are reluctant to come forward and talk about it.

“But we don’t know until they come to us and tell us what happened to them.

“We urge all such workers who are living illegally to come to us and get help so they can go back home to their families.

“They could even come back (to Bahrain) again through proper channels and legal means.”

Mr Murukeshan came to Bahrain five years ago to work for a construction company, but says he ran away two years later to make extra money as an illegal worker.

He lived with friends for a year, but then went out on his own and has been living at the garden ever since.

He told the GDN he slept under a plastic sheet to keep dry when it rained, or sought shelter in half-built buildings if the weather got too bad.

However, he is now being provided shelter by a friend of Mr Ambalayi.

“We will fill out the forms and go back to the embassy again in a day or two,” said Mr Ambalayi.

“I have told officials that Mr Murukeshan has no money to pay for his out-pass and requested them to write a letter to immigration authorities to waive the fines he is facing.

“We are now preparing a letter for the embassy requesting them to help him go back home and be with his parents.

“After the embassy, I took him to get a photo as he told me he had no money for it.

“I also gave him food and clothes and now he is living with my friend.

“We are hoping the embassy will issue an out-pass soon that will allow him to travel.”
He added the ICRF would pay for Mr Murukeshan’s plane ticket.