Jagtial man Mallaiah who lived as Abdur Rahman for 40 yrs dies in Saudi

Hyderabad: Baira Raja Mallaiah, a native of Jagtial who converted to Islam, died in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on August 30. His family members wrote a letter to the district collector of Jagtial seeking repatriation of the body.

He was working with General Agency and Contracting Company (GAC) in Saudi Arabia for the last 40 years.

Mallaiah also known as Abdur Rahman migrated to Jeddah from Yekeenpur village in Korutla Mandal, Jagtial district, Telangana, in December 1979. He was 30 years then and he passed away at the age of 70 years at a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“In 2002, his company got a work contract at Mecca and there was a rule that only Muslim employees should work in the Mecca project. Subsequently, Mallaiah lost his job. Having lived for many years in Saudi Arabia, he converted to Islam in order to retain his job,” said his son Baira Mallesh.

Mallaiah's wife Baira Raju (Bhoomakka), on Wednesday, submitted a petition to the district collector of Jagtial seeking immediate repatriation of the body from Saudi Arabia. She also requested the Pravasi Mithra Labour Union to help them in this regard.

“I have been a Hindu since my birth and I am continuing to follow the religion. However, I and my husband respected each other’s religious beliefs and continued living as a couple even after he converted to Islam. The last time he visited us was in October 2019 when he came for a short vacation,” said Baira Raju.