Bhubaneswar, Feb 21: Four Odia youths stranded in Thailand have safely returned to Odisha following the intervention of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

The youths — Jayanta Kumar Mallick, Hemant Kumar Behera, Manoranjan Sahoo, and Bijay Kumar Swain — arrived home on Saturday, expressing gratitude to the state government for its timely support.

The incident dates back to August 2025, when six youths from Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts travelled to Thailand to work at a plywood company. However, they soon faced severe hardships, including non-payment of wages and poor working conditions. Seeking help, they reached out to the Odisha government through social media, pleading for assistance to return home.

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Upon learning of their plight, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Office of the Chief Resident Commissioner of Odisha in New Delhi, the Directorate of Odisha Paribar under the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, the Labour and Employees’ State Insurance Department, and the district administrations of Kendrapara and Bhadrak coordinated efforts to facilitate their safe return.

Four of the six youths have now been brought back, while efforts are underway to ensure the safe repatriation of the remaining two. The rescued youths thanked the government for standing by them during their crisis and ensuring their safe passage back to Odisha.