Jajpur, June 28: Neighbours of a migrant Oriya labourer from a village in Jajpur district, who died in South Africa, refused to receive his body suspecting foul play.

When the body of Narendra Malik, 45, reached Dharapur village under Bari police station limits, family members and local residents refused to receive the body and detained the four persons who had brought the body in an ambulance to the deceased’s village from Bhubaneswar.

Narendra was one of the 24 Oriya migrant labourers hired by Ranka Bhuinan, a broker of Ranigoda in Jajpur district, on May 4, 2011, with the promise of good remuneration, free food and accommodation.

“Given the pitiable condition of our family, my husband opted to go to the far-off South Africa to provide us bread and butter. I thought our poverty and agony were finally over. Instead, we lost him forever. Our future is dark as he was the only earning member of our family,” said Subasini Malik, the deceased’s wife.

“I made a desperate call to the broker who had taken my husband and 23 others to South Africa after the arrival of body at our village. He refused to come over here. I suspect foul play behind the death of my husband,” she said.

The four persons who had brought to the body to Dharapur village are being detained by the villagers since last night.

“We demand that a company official, who had sent him to South Africa, come to the village. Then we will release the four persons. We will not leave the detainees unless our demand is fulfilled,” said Ashok Kumar Samal, vice-chairman of Bari block.

The deceased’s wife has filed an FIR with Bari police today in this connection. A case has been registered and a manhunt is on to nab the broker.

A report from South Africa said the remaining 23 Oriya migrant labourers were living in a very deplorable condition. When contacted by phone, one of the migrant labourers, Ajaya Kumar Mahala, said: “We are living in a very pitiable and inhospitable condition. No medical aid is given to us when we fall ill. Given the situation here, we all will certainly die before our contract period of another 11 months ends.”

“We fervently urge the state and central governments to immediately take steps to rescue us from the clutches of death,” Samal told The Telegraph.

He said that Narendra had fever but was not treated properly and timely. That was the reason he died. Proper treatment could have saved him, he added.

Samal also alleged that they were being paid far less than promised.