Local resident dies of illness in Dubai

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 18

Dreams of earning quick bucks and provide a respectable life to his family turned sour after a youth, identified as Lakhbir Singh, a resident of Galib village in Ajnala, died in Dubai following an ailment. He had gone to the Arabian country around two months ago.

Wailing family members of the youth were inconsolable. The hospital where he was admitted for treatment has refused to hand over his body, as the family members had failed to pay the medical bill amounting to Rs 15 lakh. The family members, who were in deep shock, today urged the Indian Government to help them. They have also requested a philanthropist and an NGO, Sarbat Da Bhala Trust.

The family members said that Lakhbir had gone to Dubai to earn a livelihood for the poor family. They said on May 10, he suddenly fell ill and his friends admitted him to a private hospital there where he died yesterday. They said the hospital authorities had refused to hand over the body. They urged Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to intervene and help in bringing the body back to Punjab, so that he could be cremated in his native village.

Gurjit Singh Aujla, MP, in a letter written to the Union Minister said that Lakhbir had a tourist visa and the family was too poor to pay the hospital bills and transportation expenses of the deceased’s body. He urged the minister to personally intervene and facilitate the transportation of the body of the deceased.