Two Jharkhand Yoga Instructors Killed in Vietnam Crash; Families Await Bodies

Two young men from Jharkhand who had gone to Vietnam to work as yoga instructors were killed in a road accident in the city of Da Lat, and their families are now waiting for their bodies to be repatriated.

Raja Kumar, 24, from Ranchi, and Vinay Yadav, 23, from Jamshedpur, worked at the Adi Yoga Academy in Da Lat. Vinay had moved to Vietnam three years ago, while Raja followed in 2025, hoping to improve his family's financial condition.

The accident occurred on the evening of September 25 as the two were returning home after conducting a yoga class. It was raining heavily, and the scooter they were riding slipped on the wet road and struck a car ahead. Raja died at the spot. Vinay was taken to a hospital, where he died two days later.

In Ranchi, Raja's mother, Rupa Devi, has been inconsolable. His younger brother, Shubham Kumar, said she breaks down whenever someone visits and keeps asking for her son's body to be brought home. Raja, who had studied up to Class 12 and trained in yoga for four years, was the family's earning member; his father works as an electrician. He had gone to Vietnam at the suggestion of his paternal uncle, Rahul Kumar, who lives there.

Rahul said he is trying to arrange for his nephew's body to be brought back. The process has proved both difficult and expensive. The family was told that repatriation could cost around Rs 20 lakh. While Rahul and his friends in Vietnam are raising money and completing paperwork there, the family in Ranchi is seeking help from local officials and political representatives.

In Jamshedpur, Vinay's family is facing a similar wait. His cousin Abhijit, who has lived in Vietnam for five to six years, is helping with arrangements. He said the exact circumstances of Vinay's death were still not clear to him, and that the family had not been told the full truth about his condition. The women in the family believe Vinay is still under treatment and are praying and organising hawans for his recovery. Abhijit said the process could take another five days and cost over Rs 10 lakh.

Both families are approaching officials in Jharkhand and Indian authorities for assistance. Shikha Lakra, head of the State Migrant Workers Control Room, said Raja's family had arranged around Rs 14 lakh for the repatriation. No application had been received from Vinay's family yet. Raja's body is expected to be brought back within a couple of days, after which the administration will look into reimbursing the amount.

Abhijit, who has taught yoga for years, said demand for instructors in Vietnam has grown as people there become more fitness-conscious and view yoga as something that has come from India. That demand has drawn several Indians, including from Jharkhand, to work in the country.