24 Odisha Migrant Workers In Telangana ‘Missing’ For Nine Months

Nuapada: Uncertainty and torture at workplaces continue to plague migrant labourers from Odisha.

In a stark pointer to this menace, 24 labourers including seven children from Makarbirli village in Nuapada district have been missing ever since they went to Telangana nine months ago.

According to reports, one Mujib Khan had taken the labourers to the southern state with promise of work late last year. The workers were scheduled to return before monsoon to start their farming. But they have neither returned nor is there any news of their whereabouts.

“My son and daughter-in-law went to Telangana for work. They have not contacted me for a long time now. I and my husband are staying alone in the village at this old age. We are worried for them” said Khamani Majhi, the mother of a migrant worker.

“Since the past nine months, they have not contacted us. The middleman is also not helping in tracing them. I request the state government to help us,” said Hrudaya Chandan Majhi, the relative of another migrant.

Their families back home have claimed that the migrant workers were mentally and physically tortured in Telangana.

“They are torturing our people. Earlier, many workers from Nuapada district were tortured after they migrated to other states. We request the district administration to rescue the missing migrant workers. Otherwise, we will stage protests in front of the SP’s office, Collector’s office and block office,” said Benudhar Jagat, a social worker.

Villagers claimed that poor implementation of government schemes forced many people to go outside Odisha in search of work.