Bhubaneswar: Four Odia workers from Ganjam district, who were stranded in Oman, safely returned to Odisha on Friday. The stranded workers arrived in Mumbai from Muscat on an Air India Express flight at 4 am on Thursday and subsequently reached Berhampur by train. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday expressed gratitude to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian embassy in Oman for their assistance in facilitating the safe return of four workers stranded in Oman. Upon learning about the plight of these workers through emails and reports in various Odia newspapers, Majhi promptly directed the Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi to take immediate action for their rescue.

Acting on the Chief Minister’s instructions, the Principal Resident Commissioner coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Ambassador in Oman to secure the workers’ release. Subsequently, the Indian embassy located the workers in Sohar, Oman, and maintained regular communication with them via phone.

The embassy also arranged for their accommodation and meals at a local gurdwara until their departure.

As per reports, the family members of the stranded workers had recently appealed to the State government for the rescue of the workers.

Later, Majhi personally intervened in the matter and ensured the safe return of the workers. Notably, such reports of workers from Odisha being stranded in other States and outside the country often come to the fore with the victims appealing to the State and the Central government for their rescue.

In December last year, around 40 Odia workers, including 11 from the Khallikote block of Ganjam district, who were reportedly stranded in the Maldives and were facing severe hardships at a construction company, released a video message appealing to the Indian government for their immediate rescue.