UAE: Six Andhra Labourers Get Death Sentence  in Sharjah

Agency report (DKU)

Sharjah, Nov 29: Six labourers from Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh, India who left for UAE on job search 4 years ago are facing criminal charges. Their alleged involvement in a murder and theft case is the reason for the charges being framed.

But their relatives say they are innocent. According to sources, Dandu Odde Muthyam, Godasu Yellaiah, Pedda Gangaram, Allepu Rajanna, S. Gangadhar of Degam village in Armoor mandal and Chinna Gangaram of Munipally village in Jakranpally mandal are facing criminal charges and likely to get death penalty.

On July 14, 2006, the security guard in the firm where the six youth were working was found murdered. The deceased was a United Arab Emirates (UAE) national.  The crime investigation officials of the Gulf suspected the involvement of the six youth in the murder and detained them. During prolonged interrogation, the youth were reportedly forced to confess to the crime.

AP government responds positively

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government Thursday assured the families of six people reportedly facing death sentence in Sharjah that it would take all necessary steps to save them.

A security guard, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) national, of a construction firm in which the six were working was found murdered July 14, 2006 and the young men have reportedly been given death sentence by a lower court in Sharjah, in the case, for murder and theft.

Dandu Odde Muthyam, Godasu Yelaiah, Pedda Gangaram, Allepu Rajanna, S. Gangadhar and Chinna Gangaram went to UAE four years ago for jobs.

The family members of the accused, from two villages in Armoor area of Nizamabad, were worried ever since the parents of Muthyam received a letter from him two days ago.

He wrote that they were languishing in jail for several months and a court had pronounced the death sentence on them. Muthyam claimed that they were innocent and were forced to confess to the crime.

The family members of Muthyam and others approached Nizamabad MP and Congress leader Madhu Yashki Goud Wednesday. Goud said he would take up the issue with the central government and seek its intervention to save the youth.

State Minister for energy Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who also heads the NRI department of the state government, said the Indian embassy in UAE had not confirmed reports about the death sentence.

'Even if the reports are correct, the government will appeal against the sentence in the higher court. We are in touch with the Indian embassy,' said Shabbir, who also hails from Nizamabad district.

He said though the UAE law provides for death sentence but nobody has been given capital punishment for 27 years. 'We also have the option of moving a mercy petition before the UAE ruler. The family members of the youths need not worry as the government will take all steps to protect them,' Shabbir told newsmen.

Talmeez Ahmed, India's ambassdor to the UAE, was here Wednesday and met Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to discuss the issues related to immigrants from the state.

The ambassador lauded the state's efforts in safe repatriation of illegal immigrants. Out of 70,000 illegal immigrants sent back recently from UAE, nearly 50,000 were from Andhra Pradesh.

Blood Money Woes: Tale Of Four Prisoners

By Subramani Dharmarajan, XPRESS,UAE.
 
Dubai: A social organization has appealed for donations to secure the release of four prisoners convicted in accidental cases of death without criminal intent and unable to pay diya (blood money).

The plight of Murugadas Rajendran, Jarahari Keefyour, Bhaskaran Sasidharan and Sudharshan came to light following visits to the Al Aweer Central Prison by volunteers of the social organization Valley of Love (VoL).

Rajendran, 28, from Salem in Tamil Nadu, has been behind bars for the past three years, said R K Nair, VoL Coordinator.

"He was a signal man for a crane operator at a major construction site. On August 26, 2004, while working in windy conditions, plywood blocks swayed and fell as a belt gave way. The blocks fell on a worker, killing him instantly, while another person suffered leg injuries. Rajendran was sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay Dh5,000 as fine, besides diya," Nair said. Rajendran has a wife, a four-year-old daughter, parents and a brother.

Keefyour, 42, from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, is the sole breadwinner of the family. He was working for the past 16 years in Dubai as a boat driver. Another boat, sailing without lights in poor weather conditions, rammed his boat on July 28, 2006. The person in the other boat died in the accident. Keefyour is waiting to go home to his wife, daughter and son.

Sasidharan, 44, from Kollum, Kerala, still rues the day he offered a lift to two colleagues at a construction site. A cap worn by one colleague flew off, and as he lunged for it, he fell off the pick-up. He succumbed to injuries four days later in hospital.

The court gave Sasidharan a one-month token sentence with a fine of Dh3,000. But he has to pay Dh200,000 as diya.

Sudarshan, 25, from Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh, was a helper with a packaging company in Al Quoz. While repairing a faulty machine with three others, the support structure he was holding on to gave way and hit one of the workers. The worker died in hospital after ten days.

He was sentenced to three months in prison and asked to pay a fine of Dh3,000, besides Dh35,000 as diya.

Send donations To:

Offers can be sent to: thevalleyoflove@gmail.com, or
SMS to + 971 50-309 0506 or+ 971 50-293 0492