Community mourns death of Indian panel president -IAS chief, relative drown in freak car accident
June 2006 Special Report
Killed by Accident or Accidentally Killed?
The Indian community in the Gulf region is shocked and baffled by the unexpected and unexplained demise of the Indian Association Sharjah President M.K.Madhavan, who has reportedly died in a "tragic" accident. Families and friends of Madhavan who contacted KM found it difficult to rule the death resulting from just a car accident. Even though the mainstream media have reported the death story as a result of the accidental plunge of the Toyota Turzel to the Sharjah Creek, a cursory visit to the accident spot would raise many question marks about the official theories being floated around by unknown sources.
According to the reports, Mr.Madhavan and Mohanlal Raghavan, the driver and the front seat passenger died, when their vehicle accidentally plunged into the Sharjah Creek, but three people in the back seat had a miraculous escape. A visit to the accident spot in Sharjah creek revealed that many people are normally present in the area either for fishing hobbyists, night walkers, motorists, launch workers and of course some anti social elements who conduct their shady deals and talks in the silent place.
Family Suspects Foul Play....
Madhavan's family members are still unable to believe that he is no more. "He left home at 5.30 PM and we were expecting him between 9.45 PM to 10 PM. That day someone was desperately calling his mobile from the morning and the caller was frequently calling him after 5.30 PM. We don’t know who was calling him, because his mobile is missing. We don’t know whether Sharjah police got the Samsung mobile used by him," says a family source. Police retrieved his wallet and the body was reportedly found inside the car with the seat belt. "Normally he does not use the seat belt. Even if he is driving a car, he does not bother to wear seat belt," says family sources. How come he was found dead in the submerged car with his seat belt? Did he not try to escape from a sinking car by trying to open the car door or seat belt, like the three others in the back seat?
The family sources say they believed the IAS president could not have died of drowning and only after getting the post mortem report, the reason for his death could be ascertained. While a high level police investigation is reportedly, undergoing is it prudent to just rule out the death of a man with a number of known and unknown enemies within and outside his community activities? While the three survivors were reportedly rescued by the Iranian launch workers, who have already left after the rescue mission, how come the two in the front seat could not be rescued? One allegation against the survivors is that they did not inform the rescuers about Madhavan and Mohanlal, who were trapped in the car.
Dress Code, Seat Belt Habits..
Even though family members and some close friends of Madhavan have raised doubts about the accident theory, nobody has gone on record, fearing the unknown. "He was in the club till 9 PM and left the office, after receiving a phone call, suspected to be from the same people who were trying to contact him from the afternoon. He rushed out of the office, without even closing his drawer, reportedly telling his subordinate that he would be back soon. His Honda car too was left in the IAS car parking, leaving serious doubts about the reasons for his sudden departure from the IAS. "He was always concerned about his dress code. Even in mid night meetings, he would go with his ties and coat. It is difficult to imagine that Madhavettan went out with a group of strangers without formal dressing," said a well wisher and friend. "Only a proper investigation would find out whether there was any other development," he added. "He does not go to the beach for a walk or talk. Whenever he wants to spend some spare time and take rest, he goes to a shopping mall and walk through the mall. He was sick and followed a controlled diet and was on medicines. Did he die of any heart attack?," asks another well wisher.
Dubious Business Partner...
It is reported that the second accident victim, Mohan Lal Raghavan, his business partner who was wily nilly associated with a money lending group. Such groups are strong in the UAE and the victim was reportedly part of a money lending syndicate. While it is too premature to make any speculations, family members hinted that Madhavan was occasionally involved in "negotiations" and "settlement disputes" on various matters including business and finance. The man who grew from the status of a taxi driver to money lender having dealings with the Malabari big business has reportedly got a bad reputation in some financial dealings. He is reportedly a well known money lender or agent of Shylocks who lend at high interest rate keeping the borrowers passports. "He is said to be having many passports and was suffering from liquidity problem. He was initially a driver, who absconded from Nakheel area in Dubai, after collecting money through a chit fund – bhagyamala (early 1990s). He was known as Click Mohan, alias Shashi and was involved in lending money keeping passport as a guarantee.
Contradictory Statements...of Survivors..
There are many grey areas in the accident theory floated by the three survivors. While one was vocal in his statements to the media, other two are mysteriously hiding away. Some of the survivors said they met the others in the vehicle for the first time on the accident date!!! What made the late Mohanlal to summon an accountant and relative with his car to Sharjah?
"Madhavettan had many enemies within and outside the association because he was a straightforward man. However, I don’t feel that there is something to doubt about this accident," said a close associate. However, listening to the murmers and secret talks made many to feel that something is fishy. Three survivors are giving contracted statements about the accident and their miraculous escape. One source says the car came to the spot and some people came out of the vehicle and it plunged into the creek after they restarted the car. Was there any other vehicles in the area? Some sources said the statement issued to the investigators is that all the three are members of the Association who were going to Dubai. Why did they go to Cornich to go to Dubai? Did they go to any other place?
Initial reports suggested that the driver lost control after making a U turn near the accident spot – the Sharjah creek. However, there is no U turn in the immediate vicinity of the accident spot!!! Only a severely drunk driver or an insane driver would take such a sharp turn to park the vehicle in that spot. Or was it that someone was finding an open space without barricade to dump the vehicle into the creek. The Customs and Port office, which is a small port cabin, would prevent a clear view of the car and activities within it. "Any experienced driver would not commit such a mistake. The killed driver is reportedly living in the UAE for more than two decades, handling both automatic and manual cars. Would he commit a grave mistake? Only one survivor was openly discussing about the accident, while others were mysteriously silent or inaccessible to the media.
JORDAN: Female labourers hard pressed to get minimum wage
AMMAN, 12 June- Female workers are discriminated against and still often paid below the minimum legal salary a month after the government raised the minimum wage by the equivalent of US $22, according to workers and union leaders.In May, the government raised the minimum wage per month from the equivalent of US $120 to US $142 in an effort to offset increases in living costs that came following recent fuel price hikes. However, workers and labour leaders complain that women working jobs in several sectors have been paid wages much less than their original salaries before the pay rise. Some women reportedly earn the equivalent of only US $60 a month for working 10- to 12-hour days.Many women, despairing of a solution, say they are left with little choice but to work. Zakya Rashad, 35, had to find a job after her husband died in a bus crash three years ago. Now, living in a small house in the village of Abu Nusseir some 30km north of Amman, she must work to support her six children.
Working in a nearby chemical factory for the equivalent of US $70 a month, she has waited in vain for a long-promised pay rise. "When I was first hired, I was given US $60 monthly, with a promise of a rise when business improves," said Rashad, who recently brought two of her daughters to work with her to make ends meet. "It was impossible to live on the salary I earn. I had to force my daughters to drop out of school and work."
Not far from Abu Nusseir, Khadra Um Thaer must work to support her 12 children after their father suffered a back injury and could no longer work. "I couldn't watch my children starve. I had to take any job offered me," said Um Thaer, who works for the equivalent of US $60 a month in a textile factory that exports finished products to Israel and the US. "When I heard the government raised the minimum wage, I couldn't help but laugh, because the term 'minimum wage' isn't in my boss's vocabulary."
Recent labour ministry figures indicate that more than 200,000 of the national workforce are women, the majority of whom come from impoverished families. Many women say they are forced by their employers to sign contracts stipulating that their earnings match the minimum monthly wage set by the government. According to union leaders, such practices usually occur in isolated towns and villages, where inspectors rarely make an appearance.
Many company heads, however, insist they are paying workers in compliance with the law. "Ask any of my employees - they'll tell you they're getting the minimum wage set by the government," said Abu Fares, owner of a chemical factory where several employees told IRIN that they received salaries well below the set minimum. His comments were typical of several employers interviewed.
Labour leaders, meanwhile, say their hands are tied, and blamed both the government and employees for the predicament. "We're fighting an uphill battle to have the minimum wage implemented, mostly in light industry, where women are the employees of choice," said Fathallah Emrani, vice-president of the General Federation of Jordanian Labour unions, which represents more than 1.5 million workers.
Emrani went on to complain about the "reluctance to come forward" on the part of many exploited female workers. "The problem is that women are reluctant to file lawsuits against employers for fear of retaliation," he added, blaming "ignorance and lack of awareness" for ongoing abuses. "We'll never be able to help workers if they don't inform us of their problems."
He also blasted the government's "inability" to satisfactorily regulate the labour market. "The labour ministry has 80 inspectors scattered across the kingdom to monitor the activities of more than 40,000 work institutions," said Emrani. "That just isn't enough."
Meanwhile, labour ministry officials insist that most employers abide by the law. "We send regular inspection teams across the kingdom," said a senior ministry official, requesting anonymity. "And whoever is found in violation of the law is punished." Violators are generally fined the equivalent of US $40 for every month of a given worker's employment and forced to pay the difference retroactively.
Some business leaders, however, believe that meeting minimum wage requirements will only grow more difficult, given the country's deteriorating economic situation. Others fear it could encourage mass layoffs at factories already working at half-capacity due to shrinking demand in world markets.According to official estimates, unemployment in Jordan stands at almost 15 percent, while one fifth of the country's 5.5 million-strong population lives below the poverty line.
A Memorial Comment by Mohan Attavar
M K Madhavan dies with many secrets -- Questions remain to be answered
What time he left the Indian Association Office - How much time it requires to reach the Sharjah Corniche ? Consider traffic?
What time the accident occurred? What time the three survivors escaped? What time Madhavan/Raghavan died?
Is it possible that an accident of this magnitude happen due to driver negligence? Was there any eye witness to see the car really going down accidentally/ Or someone pushed the car....?
How did the three people happened to travel in the same car? Why did they go to Sharjah Corniche?
Plans to Open Membership in IAS Sabotage..
"In my last 30 years in the UAE, I have never heard that Indian Association Dubai opened its membership," Madhavan said in an Interview immediately after his election, Membership of Indian Association Sharjah was a privilege of a few and his decision to open membership has been not so popular with the lobby that controlled the association for many years.?. Read More
Row at Indian Association Sharjah finally comes to end
Abandoned Indian workers live on charity
President of Sharjah Indian body dies in accident
M.K. Madhavan, president of the Indian Association Sharjah, died in a car accident Wednesday night along with his driver. Reports in Dubai said the 55-year-old entrepreneur and well-known community leader was on his way home from the Indian Association office in Al Yarmook in Sharjah with four other Indian friends at around 9:30 p.m. last night when his car overturned and plunged into the sea. Madhavan's car overturned after making a U-turn near the conch in the Al Bah ar area, close to Port Halide, and plunged into the sea, reports here quoted Sharjah Police sources as saying.The driver apparently failed to control the car after reaching an open area by the sea. Madhavan, along with his driver, died on the spot. A Coast Guard patrol, which saw the mishap, then immediately alerted Sharjah Police, who rushed to the scene.The other three occupants of the car were then pulled out of the sea safely.
According to a report in gulfnews.com, Madhavan's body was recovered after a three-hour operation and was taken to the Kuwaiti Hospital, Sharjah, where a large crowd of fellow community members gathered later in the night as the news broke out .Madhavan is survived by two daughters and his wife, who is a teacher in Indian High School. Investigations are on to determine the cause of the accident.
Madhavan's death leaves void in family, community -Gulf News report by Sunitha Menon
