KENDRAPARA: Odisha government on Thursday requested the Centre to take immediate steps for safe return of the six workers from Kendrapara district who have been reportedly held captive by their employer in a plywood factory in Thailand.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Nabakrishna Jena said after coming to know about the plight of the six workers, the Kendrapara administration took up the matter with the assistant labour commissioner, Bhubaneswar. Detailed information including their passports was provided to the government to facilitate urgent intervention.
Subsequently, Delhi-based principal resident commissioner Vishal Gagan wrote a letter to the additional secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs to rescue the stranded workers, Jena said.
The workers are Prasant Rout of Upalei village, Jayant Mallick of Nuagaon, Yasobant Sahoo of Kujipur, Himanshu Behera of Katanabania and Hemant Behera of Katarabania, all in Kendrapara besides Manoranjan Sahoo of Kaudiapala in neighbouring Bhadrak district.
Describing their plight in a video message recorded a couple of days back, the Odia workers alleged that they are being confined inside the factory in Chon Buri, Thailand and subjected to physical and mental torture by their employer. Reportedly, they have not been paid their salaries for the last three months. The workers appealed to the state government to facilitate their return to their villages.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed concern about the plight of the stranded workers in Thailand.
Taking to X, Naveen said, “Deeply concerned to know that six people from Odisha are being ill-treated by their employer in Thailand and are in deep distress. Urge the Indian Government, Ministry of External Affairs and Chief Minister’s Office to intervene into the matter with urgency and coordinate with the officials of Thailand for their early rescue.”