Worker injured in accident returns from Kuwait

The sole breadwinner met with an accident in May, resulting in a spinal cord injury which left him paralysed chest down. Ranjith returned to Chennai on Tuesday morning, from where he was transferred to the Tiruchy Government Hospital for further treatment. 

The economically backward family of Ranjith comprised his elderly mother Anjali, two young sons and his wife Chellam. “Before he went to Kuwait, he was working at a construction site, earning Rs 400-500 per day. 

Then, he heard from his friends that if he goes to Kuwait for a houseboy job, he will earn more. In January, he left and for the months of March, April and May, he sent Rs 17,000 monthly. Then came the accident, which left us looking at an uncertain future,” she said. In May, Ranjith met with a road accident and underwent a major surgery in Adnan hospital, Kuwait. 

After a few days, he was transferred to the physical medicine and rehabilitation hospital for treatment. His brother Manimaran reached out to the National Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM) Migrant Forum for help. Allwin Jose, a member of the Kuwait Human Rights Society, who was informed of Ranjith’s plight, helped him return to Chennai. 

Allwin said, “Ranjith was in the hospital for the last five months and needed continuous medical care. Since the sponsor didn’t want to keep him in Kuwait, we arranged for his return to Chennai.” 

Ranjith reached Chennai at 9.15 am on October 10. Then he was shifted to the Tiruchy Government Hospital. Ranjith’s family is worried about the treatment expenses that they can ill afford. 

“We hope that the government will help us with medical assistance, since he was the only breadwinner. With his spinal cord injury, we don’t know how we will survive,” said his wife Chellam.