A 100 days wait for one last look

SNV Sudhir/Visakhapatnam

It’s more than 100 days since Surapu Rajulamma received the shocking news of husband’s death but continues to nurture the hope of seeing his body some day. Her only lifeline now is his recorded voice sent to her a few days before he supposedly committed suicide.Surapu Appiah, a fisherman of the remote Geddalapadu village, Santabommali mandal of Srikakulam district, aspiring for a better life for himself and his two children, went to Kuwait in April. He paid Rs 80,000 to a Bazi of Rajahmundry, an agent.On June 9, the dreadful morning 28-year-old Rajulamma will never forget, she was informed through a telegram from the Indian embassy at Kuwait that Apaiah had died by hanging himself on May 8 and requested the consent of the family to either cremate the body there or pay Rs 3,000 for the body to be sent to their village. Poor innocent people who could not understand the message ignored it. They received a similar telegram again on June 25 that they managed to comprehend. The amount was sent to the Kuwaiti officials within two days. But the body wasn’t sent as promised.When this correspondent tried to speak to the tearful Rajullamma, she couldn’t utter a word. “She was the most active woman in our group; so bubbly and full of energy. Now she just keeps gazing at the sky trying to spot the aircraft that would bring her husband’s body,” says Manemma, Rajulamma’s mother in law.On the other hand, the death of Apaiah raises many doubts. Just a few days before his death, Appaih had sent an audiocassette stating that he was fine. The family alleges that the agents at Kuwait who recruited Appiah might have killed him. Some of the letters Appiah sent to his family clearly indicate that the agents, Krishna Reddy and Karimullah were harassing him. They used to lock him in a room and beat him. The job he was recruited for was apparently some ‘company work’ but he was asked to work in laundries and look after sheep. When contacted the local agent, Baji of Rajahmundry, who had earlier told the family that his job ended with sending the man abroad, says, “It takes at least a month for a dead body to come from Kuwait after many formalities. But even I’m confused why it is taking so long now. I am trying to get the body with the help of Karimullah and Krishna Reddy.”