Homecoming! Alas Hari Krishna gets to go home

Hari Krishna Erranholi, had arrived in Bahrain in the year 2007 in search of livelihood, with hopes of a better life.

He was in search of a vocation. He had mixed fortunes and as the time went by he was diagnosed with Glaucoma. In the year 2019, he lost his vision as a result of the same. This lead to the cancellation of his visa by the company. They didn’t want to continue his employment due to the visual impairment he had developed.

That was when he decided to leave the country and return back to India. However, as there were some payments due on him as well as some financial obligations, his return got delayed.

The situation turned from bad to worse by each passing day and eventually he had to de dependant on his family back home in India for his day to day needs.

Two years had passed and he could bear no more and he approached the Indian Embassy, Bahrain in January 2021. The Indian officials intervened and made some arrangements to send him back to India.

On their advice, his brother booked a ticket for him. On February 11, 2021 he was detained at the airport while leaving for India. There were some travel bans issued against his name owing to non-settlement of financial liabilities. He was thereafter put up in a temporary shelter run by the Sikh expat community.

“This is when we intervened along with other humanitarian organizations in seeking a respite to his ever-growing struggle,” said Sudheer Thirunilath, Indian Diaspora Ambassador, who is also the Country Head of Pravasi Legal Cell and Humanitarian Director, Middle East region, World NRI Council.

 From then on as a result of the efforts and humane gestures of the Bahrain Indian Diaspora community and humanitarian organisations resources were pooled and money raised collectively towards the payment of Hari’s financial dues. He could leave Bahrain only after his travel ban is lifted but one Bahrain citizen refused to withdraw the case against him as he owed him around BD 3700. After repeated efforts by Thirunilath, Hari got a green signal in all the 9 cases except the one which the Bahrain national objected.

Pravasi Legal Cell approached the Court through the Lawyer Tariq and requested the court to consider the mercy petition filed by them and the amount of BD 1999 could be paid at the court.

Business men from Bahrain came forward to help and provided the money to be deposited at the court. A couple of individuals also pitched in to bail him out of the situation.

With the help of the immigration authorities, the Embassy of India, Pravasi Legal Cell, Indian Diaspora Global, World NRI Council, ICRF, all the issues were resolved and his Immigration was cleared for travel. Hari final left for India by Air India flight to Calicut where his family is eagerly waiting for him to return.

Hari’s mother is 74 years old and is suffering from a heart ailments. He also has wife and a teenage son.

Hari was received by his wife Mini and son Bhageerath at the Calicut airport. 

The goodwill of the Indian Diaspora community has proved time and again that the virtue and value of brotherhood. Thirunilath adds, “today is one such day when I’ll have a good and peaceful sleep.”

Staff reporter, Bahrain Bureau, WFY