Hyderabad: Lack of water and crop failure forced Palamakula Sandeep Reddy, 38, to look for other jobs. He came to know about Saudi Arabia and went there two years ago.
Unable to work for his sponsor, he left and started searching for another job. He was caught as an illegal and put in a jail in Jeddah four months ago. He says the condition in the jail is worse than at his previous employer.
Meanwhile, an irrigation project near his village solved his family's problems. But his parents say they are facing bigger trouble now.
Sandeep Reddy is the youngest son of Palamakula Tirupathi Reddy and Gangavva, a farmer couple from the Samanapelli village of Peddapalli district. He completed SSC and took up farming.
Initially when the crop failed due to lack of water, Santosh thought of going to the Gulf, but his parents did not agree. Later, Sandeep convinced his parents. By then the family was burdened with debts of around Rs 7 lakh. Two and half years ago, Sandeep went to Saudi to work as a labourer. Since he could not adjust to the conditions there he came out and started searching for another job while his passport was with the first employer.
While looking for a job, he was arrested by Saudi police and put in the Jeddah Deportation Centre. Since then he is contacting his family and urging them to make arrangements for his release. He talks to them once a week.
Meanwhile, back home, their land which will be submerged under the Sripada Ellampalli Project earned them a good compensation. "With that our problems will be gone, but our son is in a Saudi prison," his father said.
Meanwhile, during a recent conversation with his cousin P. Maheshwar Reddy, Sandeep said they are staying in unhygienic conditions. “Sandeep said the food is not good and insufficient,” he said.
