Keonjhar: The death toll of Odia workers in the ammonia gas leak at a seafood processing unit in Tamil Nadu has risen to 14 after a 21-year-old woman from Odisha succumbed to her injuries.

The deceased has been identified as Anjali Juang of Kharaba village under Harichandanpur block in Keonjhar district.

Meanwhile, the tragedy has exposed serious allegations of illegal recruitment and identity fraud involving migrant workers from Odisha. The Odisha Labour Department has lodged a complaint at Telkoi police station against labour contractor Srikanta Juang of Rangamatia village, accusing him of forging identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, to facilitate the employment of minor girls in the factory.

According to the complaint filed by the Assistant Labour Officer, Telkoi, the contractor allegedly lured workers with promises of high salaries and better jobs before sending them to Tamil Nadu in October 2025. Several of those recruited were minors. To secure their employment, they were allegedly shown as adults by using the Aadhaar cards and identity documents of adult women.

One such case involved a minor girl, Yamini Juang of Rangamatia village, who was allegedly employed under the identity of Parbati Juang, an adult woman from Balanipasi village. Yamini died after being exposed to toxic ammonia gas during the leak.

The Labour Department has requested the police to conduct a detailed investigation into allegations of illegal migrant worker recruitment, human trafficking, employment of minors in hazardous work, forgery of identity documents and cheating, and to initiate legal action against those found responsible. A special police team will soon travel to Tamil Nadu to investigate the case further.

The ammonia gas leak occurred at a private seafood processing and export unit in Kannigaipair village near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu on June 21. Around 120 migrant workers from Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand were on duty when the leak took place. The workers were exposed to toxic ammonia fumes, causing breathing difficulties, dizziness and eye irritation, while several collapsed inside the factory.