Paralakhemundi, Sep 1: A 30-year-old migrant worker from Odisha’s Gajapati district died in Tamil Nadu on Monday while working at a construction site.

The deceased has been identified as Balakrishna, a resident of Parida village under Gumma block in Gajapati district.

As per reports, Balakrishna had been orphaned at a young age and raised by relatives. Despite facing immense hardship, he remained determined to rebuild his life and support his household. With no stable income in his village, he travelled to Tamil Nadu last year in search of work.

Balakrishna was employed at a building construction site at Tambaram under Chennai Metropolitan Area where he tragically fell from the roof and died on the spot. The employer reportedly arranged all steps to send the mortal remains to his native village in Odisha.

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The news of his death has cast a pall of grief over Parida village. Locals mourn the loss of a young man who, despite being orphaned, never gave up on his dreams. His aspiration to renovate his family home and build a better future now remains unfulfilled.

This incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by Odisha’s migrant workers, many of whom travel to distant states under informal arrangements, often without safety nets or legal protections. According to recent data, over 400 migrant workers from Odisha have died in other states over the past decade.