Bhubaneswar: After seeking assistance from the Odisha Government through social media, four of the six Odia youth stranded in Thailand have been safely repatriated to the State.

According to official sources, Jayanta Kumar Mallick, Hemanta Kumar Behera, Manaranjan Sahu, and Bijay Kumar Swain returned to Odisha today.

The six youths, hailing from Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts, had travelled to Thailand in August last year to work at a plywood company. However, they later alleged the company owner failed to pay their wages, leaving them in severe financial distress and struggling for survival. Facing hardship, they appealed to the Odisha Government for help in returning home.

Taking note of their situation, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed officials to take immediate steps to facilitate their safe return.

The repatriation was made possible through coordinated efforts involving the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; the Office of the Chief Resident Commissioner of the Odisha Government in New Delhi; the Directorate of Odisha Paribar under the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department; the Labour and Employees’ State Insurance Department; and the district administrations of Kendrapara and Bhadrak.

Efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe return of the remaining two youths.