New Delhi, Nov 21: An Indian national, Haider Ali (35), who worked in Doha was shot in the face allegedly by his Qatari employer when he asked him for leave to visit his family in Bihar.
Speaking to India Today from Bela Village in East Champaran district of Bihar, Haider’s brother Afsar Ali said that he was shot on October 29. He was booked to fly to India the next day but instead was admitted with gunshot injuries at Hamad General Hospital in Qatar’s capital Doha.
Ali’s family first learned of the incident through a family member in Doha and later was contacted by an Indian embassy official in Doha.
Afsar, who is pursuing his PhD in Kerala, has been in his village due to the lockdown. He said, “My brother was shot point-blank by his local sponsor. My father is a heart patient and is in shock. Haider Ali had six children– five girls and a boy. His wife and the kids are in shock.”
He continued, “I first got a call from my cousin Javed who also works in Doha who told us what happened. Later, Dhiraj Kumar, ASO Community and Welfare at the Indian embassy in Qatar, also called and informed us of the incident. He assured us of all help and that he would keep us informed.”
Family in shock Haider Ali was critical but his condition has stabilised now, said Afsar. According to him, Haider had been working as a welder for the past six years in Doha and also worked at the residence of his employer. He hadn’t visited home since 2018.
While details of what transpired are still sketchy, for a family whose sole breadwinner was Haider Ali, this is a moment of a grave test.
They are worried if he will ever fully recover. Afsar Ali said, “For now we know that he would be bedridden for a while. We would need money for survival. The Qatar government should provide us compensation for what has happened to my brother.”
While the family waits to hear further on the health condition of Haider, they are also seeking financial compensation from the government of Qatar.
