SLICE OF LIFE

Stranded for 30 years, gets exit pass on death

Dubai : A 56-year-old Indian, who had been stuck in Oman for 30 years while awaiting an exit pass from the Gulf nation, died hours before he got signed documents proving his Indian nationality.

Madhusudhan, who first came to Muscat in 1977 from Kerala, had been living on the roof of a building in Muscat after his bag containing his passport and other documents were stolen. Earlier, he had tried in vain to prove his nationality to Indian embassy officials in Muscat and government officials in Kerala, media reports said.

Finally a nativity certificate was issued to him but, unfortunately, it came just hours before his death, the reports said. According to a Times of Oman report, even though he had a few documents to prove his Indian nationality, it was insufficient to obtain an out-pass.

Madhusudan had been working in a construction company for a few years and last visited his home in 1983. “After 30 years of struggle, Madhu passed away, putting an end to his long wait,” Muneer, a social worker in Muscat, told the newspaper.

“We came to know of Madhu from our friends. We found him lying in front of a building in Darsait, shivering from cold. He didn’t have enough clothes to keep himself warm. He was not even able to talk. Somehow, he managed to reveal his identity. So we quickly rushed him to hospital,” Muneer said.

After becoming an undocumented migrant, he had approached embassy officials several times to get an out-pass. “He had a National Cadet Corps certificate and even a copy of his ration card. But these papers were not enough for the embassy officials to provide an out-pass. They insisted that he should provide his ‘nativity certificate’. Now that it’s finally on its way, he didn’t wait for it,” the social worker was quoted as saying.