15 years after her husband went to Bahrain and broke contact with family, Telangana woman gets news of his death
Bahrain officials tell Telangana government that it is not possible to repatriate Naresh’s remains. However, they offered to cremate body there as per traditional customs
A Telangana woman whose husband went to Bahrain 15 years ago – just three months after their wedding – and was never seen again got closure on Tuesday after Bahrain officials told her that he died there due to ill health five years ago, and that his body was preserved in cold storage.
Bahrain officials told Telangana government’s NRI Advisory Committee and Bharat Rashtra Samiti MLA from Korutla, Dr Kalvakuntla Sanjay, that it was not possible to repatriate Naresh’s remains. However, they offered to cremate the body there as per traditional customs.
Hailing from Metpalli town in Jagtial district, Naresh got married to M Latha 15 years ago. Naresh, who lost his parents in childhood and was adopted and raised by a different family, was working in Bahrain in the construction industry when he got married. He was reportedly unhappy with the union.
Three months after his marriage, he returned to Bahrain, never to contact his wife or family, and mysteriously remained incommunicado. “Five years ago, he died there. Bahrain preserved the body as his kin had not been informed. His wife was finally identified and notified,” said Mandha Bheem Reddy, Vice Chairman of the Telangana Government’s NRI Advisory Committee.
To conduct the final rites there, his wife Latha has submitted an affidavit giving her consent.
To facilitate further formalities, Korutla MLA Dr Kalvakuntla Sanjay visited the ‘CM Pravasi Prajavani’ office along with the deceased’s step-brother, Dharmapuri Anand, and handed over the affidavit.
Sanjay said, “The Telangana government will coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Bahrain to ensure that the final rites are conducted there with proper traditional procedures.”
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Anand, who was issued an emergency passport, will travel to Bahrain to participate in the funeral rites. In Bahrain, social activists are coordinating with the Indian Embassy.
More than 170 workers from Telangana have died in Gulf countries since December 2023. In March, the Telangana government released Rs 3.3 crore as ex gratia to the kin of 66 persons from Telangana who died in the Gulf and Iraq.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
