‘Help Me, I Will Die’: Prayagraj Man’s Viral Bhojpuri Plea from Saudi Desert Demands Rescue from PM Modi

‘Help Me, I Will Die’: A heart-wrenching video of an Indian migrant worker, visibly distressed and pleading for help from a remote location in Saudi Arabia, has ignited a frantic search by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and sparked a broader debate over worker safety post-Kafala reforms. The man, a resident of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, claims his passport has been seized by his sponsor, who is now threatening his life. Shared widely across social media, the emotional appeal for rescue has forced Indian and Saudi authorities to issue official responses, highlighting the critical need for verifiable information to locate and assist him.

This incident casts a sharp spotlight on the continued vulnerability of low-wage migrant workers despite Saudi Arabia’s recent efforts to dismantle the controversial sponsorship system.

Key Focal Points: The Viral Saudi Rescue Story

This detailed report covers the immediate reaction and core facts of the Prayagraj man’s case, which quickly captured national attention:

• Heart-Wrenching Viral Video: The footage, featuring a man from Handia, Pratappur, Prayagraj, speaking in Bhojpuri next to a camel, instantly went viral, garnering over 1.7 lakh views.
• Worker’s Allegations: The man, identified in some reports as Ankit Bharti alias Indrajeet, claims his passport was withheld by his sponsor (kafeel), who he named as “Kapil,” and that he was facing threats to be killed.
• Plea to Prime Minister Modi: The worker made a tearful appeal, asking for the video to be shared until it reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed a desperate desire to see his mother.
• Indian Embassy’s Immediate Action: The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed it is actively searching for the man but is currently limited due to a lack of location/province, contact number, and employer details in the video.
• Coordinated Information Search: The Embassy has sought external help by specifically appealing to Delhi-based criminal lawyer Advocate Kalpana Shrivastav for the source details and reaching out to Prayagraj district officials (including the DM and Police) to contact the family.
• Saudi Authorities’ Counter-Claim: The Saudi security department (Eastern Region Police) labeled the video as “baseless,” claiming it was published solely to increase social media viewership of the man’s account.
• Kafala System Context: The episode highlights the challenges faced by Indian and Southeast Asian migrant workers, occurring as Saudi Arabia attempts to abolish the criticized Kafala sponsorship system.

The Man’s Desperate Cry and Call for Public Support

The core of this viral story lies in the raw, human emotion captured in the video. The man’s distress is palpable as he recounts his situation, stating, “My village is in Allahabad… I came to Saudi Arabia. Kapil has my passport. I told him I need to go home, but he is threatening to kill me.”

His direct appeal was not just to the government but to the common man, urging: “Brother, share this video, share it so much that, with your support from India, I can get help and come back to India. If you are from Muslim, Hindu or anyone – brother, wherever you are – please help. Please help me, I will die; I need to go to my mother.” This powerful, non-sectarian plea propelled the clip into viral status, amassing attention swiftly and putting pressure on official channels.

The Complex Response: Diplomatic Search vs. Security Dismissal

The official response to the video has been bifurcated, reflecting the difficulty in confirming unverified social media claims against the urgency of a potential life-threatening situation.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a clear, methodical approach to overcoming the data gap:

1. Public Acknowledgment: The Embassy publicly confirmed it was attempting to locate the individual.
2. Request for Specifics: It issued a statement on X emphasizing that “No further action can be taken as the video does not contain any details about the location/province in Saudi Arabia, or contact number or employer details.”
3. Targeted Outreach: The mission specifically tagged Advocate Kalpana Shrivastav, the Delhi-based criminal lawyer who had posted the video, to provide crucial source information.
4. Local Government Mobilization: By contacting the DM and police in Prayagraj, the Embassy aims to leverage local networks to reach the family and secure the required details—including the recruiter or agent information—to forward to cw.riyadh@mea.gov.in.

Conversely, the reaction from the Saudi security department (Eastern Region Police) has been one of categorical dismissal. They issued a strong counter-claim, asserting that the expatriate’s appeal “is baseless” and was fabricated for the sole purpose of “increasing the number of views of his account on one of the social media platforms.” This stark difference in official accounts has made the situation highly difficult for Indian authorities who are committed to ensuring the safety of their citizens.

The Shadow of the Kafala System

This distressing incident unfolds during a period of legislative transition in Saudi Arabia. The country recently announced plans to abolish the highly restrictive Kafala system. For decades, this binding contract granted the employer (kafeel) significant control over a foreign worker’s visa, travel, and employment status, leading to widespread abuse, exploitation, and violations of basic human rights, often compared to modern-day indentured servitude.

The Prayagraj man’s claim that his passport was confiscated—a key mechanism of control under Kafala—demonstrates that while the law may be changing, the pervasive issues of abuse and exploitation are slow to disappear, especially for vulnerable workers from countries like India and those in Southeast Asia.

The Profound Truth: Finding Purpose Beyond Earthly Greed

The Profound Truth: Finding Purpose Beyond Earthly Greed

Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj imparts a profound spiritual reflection that transcends this crisis: a life spent accumulating wealth by exploiting others ultimately leads only to an endless cycle of greed and suffering. Such a life, devoid of purpose and understanding, remains meaningless and unfulfilled. The real goal of human existence is achieving salvation. To learn more about this true purpose of life and the authentic Way of Living, essential knowledge is revealed in the book Way of Living by Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj.

Navigating the Path to Worker Safety in the Gulf

As Indian officials continue their efforts to trace the man’s identity and precise location, this viral case serves as a powerful reminder of the challenges facing migrant workers even in a post-reform era. The incident highlights the urgent need for a more robust mechanism for workers to report abuse directly, bypassing the very sponsors who are often the source of exploitation. The Indian Embassy’s focused drive to obtain verifiable information through both social media channels and local UP administration is critical, as the current situation underscores that official well-being efforts often stall when lacking basic, concrete details.

The man’s desperate cry for his mother stands as a poignant symbol of the many workers whose vulnerability continues to demand international scrutiny and urgent diplomatic intervention.

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