Family of migrant worker forced to pay Rs 1.30 lakh for transporting body from Kerala to Jharkhand

Kochi: It has come to light that families of deceased migrant workers in Kerala are forced to pay exorbitant fees to middlemen to transport the bodies of their loved ones back home. 

Recently, agents demanded Rs 1,30,000 to transport the body of a Jharkhand native who died in Kochi. Initially, the relatives were asked to pay Rs 1,00,000. After the body was shifted to the ambulance, the agents demanded an additional Rs 30,000, which the relatives were forced to pay to continue the journey. 

In fact, this is not an isolated incident. The family of a deceased worker from West Bengal recently had to mortgage his belongings to cover the transportation costs. 

Benoy Peter, Executive Director of the Center for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID), stated that previously, the labour department covered these expenses directly. However, with recent changes, agents have taken advantage of the situation. 

In Odisha and West Bengal, repatriation by air costs less than Rs 50,000. The government is also providing the sum as assistance. 

In the Jharkhand case, the ambulance agents misled the deceased’s relatives by pretending to be police. While burying a body in Kerala costs less than Rs 5,000, agents exploit the lack of awareness among migrant workers. CMID has reported the issue to the Joint Labor Commissioner of Jharkhand, highlighting the agent’s misconduct.

CMID estimates around 50 migrant workers’ death per month in Kerala, including from road accidents, suicides, and illnesses. This year alone, 20 workers from Odisha have died in the state. There are approximately 40 lakh migrant workers.