Ganjam: The mortal remains of an Odia worker who died in Qatar were brought back Thursday through the coordinated efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the state government, officials said.
Kuna Khuntia, a resident of Khallikote block in Odisha’s Ganjam district, had gone to the Gulf nation about four months ago to work as a labourer in a private company.
On March 6, his family members received the news of his death, an officer of the Odisha government said.
According to the information received by the family, Khuntia reportedly died suddenly while resting in his room.
Following the incident, the family had appealed to the government to facilitate the return of his body to his native place.
His mortal remains arrived this morning at Biju Patnaik International airport here.
Khallikote MLA Purna Chandra Sethy and officer on special duty of the directorate of Odisha Paribar, Pritish Panda, received the body and made the necessary arrangements to send it to Khuntia’s native village.
Meanwhile, Labour Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia informed the Assembly during the ongoing session that the state government, with the support of the MEA, brought back the bodies of 29 workers from foreign countries during 2024 and 2025.
The state government, with the support of the MEA, also rescued 142 workers (117 in 2024 and 25 in 2025) from different countries over the last two years.
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