Jharkhand man working on a Hyundai E&C transmission project was caught in gunfire between Saudi authorities and suspected criminals
An Indian worker employed on a transmission-line project in Saudi Arabia was killed after being caught in crossfire between Saudi authorities and suspected members of an illegal liquor network, according to his family and local officials.
Vijay Kumar Mahato, 27, from Dudhapania village in Jharkhand’s Giridih district, had travelled to Saudi Arabia about a year before the incident to work for Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company (Hyundai E&C), according to reports.
The incident took place on October 15, 2025, while Mahato was walking near his worksite. His family said he was caught in gunfire during an exchange involving Saudi police and local criminals. He was fatally shot in the incident.
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Mahato’s family has argued that the company should bear responsibility for his death because he was working on a project in the area
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They have sought compensation and said they would not proceed with arrangements to bring his body home until the company provides a written assurance on compensation
The Jharkhand Labour Department’s State Migrant Control Cell said it had received a complaint concerning the death.
The Indian Express reported that it contacted Hyundai E&C’s project and site managers for a response, but they were unavailable for comment at the time. The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre subsequently listed the case as an allegation involving migrant-worker rights and the death of an Indian employee.
Under guidance published by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, families of Indian workers who die in Saudi Arabia may be entitled to unpaid wages, end-of-service benefits and, depending on the circumstances and responsibility established by authorities, death compensation. Claims involving unnatural or work-related deaths can be pursued through the relevant Saudi legal channels.
