The ordeal of a Telangana NRI stranded in Kuwait for 19 months finally came to an end as he returned to India with the help of a Kuwaiti citizen.
The hapless worker has the same name as that of a person against whom a criminal case has been registered in Kuwait and was dead. It was a unique case of mistaken identity where his repeated pleas to prove that he is alive and has no cases against him had no takers.
The problem for Telangana worker Tuniki Naresh, hailing from Antargaon village of Jagtial district started in March last year when he wanted to return to India. He was unable to get immigration clearance for his travel as there was no data available, even after checking his biometrics details.
Actually, two youths with similar names from the same district arrived in Kuwait six years ago on the same day and same flight to work for the same company.
Though the two have similar names but their identities are different. The hapless worker Tuniki Naresh, son of Kondaih, PP No. P-6324329, was a native of Antargaon village in Jagtial Mandal while the other person Tuniki Naresh, son of Narsaih, PP No. F-7574377, was native of Bommena village in Kathlapur Mandal in the same district.
The second Tuniki Naresh of Kathlapur actually absconded from the company and authorities notified him as blacklisted. There was also criminal case against him. He became addicted to cheap illicit liquor and was found dead on January 2, 2016, said sources.
Telangana social worker Gangula Muralidhar Reddy, lodged a complaint with the Indian external affairs ministry through its MADAD portal and followed the case.
It was only after intervention and help from a Kuwaiti citizen that Tuniki Naresh came back to India and reunited with his family.