Gulf Daily News

Bahrain, Nov 24: A FREE-VISA worker, who feared being stranded in Bahrain after completing a six-month prison sentence, is set to leave soon.Pillappan Mukayaa Ambalam, 60, contacted volunteers to help him leave the country because he didn't have the legal documents to prove his nationality.

He has not seen his family for the last 20 years since he came to work in Bahrain as a labourer with a construction company.

However, after his story was published in the GDN last week, it emerged that his passport had been submitted to the Indian Embassy two months ago.

Mr Ambalam is to be released soon from the Hidd Detention Centre and volunteers have already secured him an outpass.

He was walking back home after work in Gudaibiya, when a policeman stopped him and asked for his CPR card, according to sources.

When he was unable to provide the relevant documents, he was fined BD250 and sentenced to six months in jail with a deportation order on release.

Mr Ambalam worked for the construction company for two years and then had to seek employment elsewhere as he was not getting paid on time, the sources said.

All his legal documents were with the former sponsor and he was stranded in Bahrain since then.

Volunteers of Pravasy Association of Angamaly Nedumbassery (PAAN) were spearheading his case after he failed to retrieve his passport.

They are now helping him complete the legal documents so he can leave Bahrain under the government's general amnesty.

His sponsor reportedly submitted 21 passports to the embassy on September 24, including Mr Ambalam's passport.

"It was difficult for the officials to recognise him by the passport or know about his situation but thanks to the GDN, they learnt about his case," said his friend C Pillappan Karuppan.

"His passport however had expired in October 1991 and it will take some time to renew it.

"The volunteers have spoken to the embassy, who confirmed they have his passport.

"They have also issued an outpass for him, which will be sent to the authorities at the Hidd Detention Centre to facilitate the process.

"I called him and he is happy and thanks to the higher authorities for their quick response.

"I have already informed his family members in India, who have not seen him for the last 20 years."

Mr Ambalam is from Madras, Tamil Nadu, where his 80-year-old mother, wife, aged 50, son, and daughter, aged 29 and 27 respectively, stay.