Bhubaneswar: An Odia migrant worker stranded in Saudi Arabia for months following the expiry of his employment contract is finally set to return home after the intervention of state Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister, Sampad Chandra Swain.
The worker, Pralaya Ranjan Mahapatra from Jagatsinghpur district, is scheduled to arrive in India July 26 after the Indian Embassy in Jeddah facilitated his final exit visa and flight ticket. Pralaya had travelled to Saudi Arabia May 24, 2024, and was employed as a wheel loader driver with Majad Al-Harbi Co.
His employment contract ended April 30, 2026, but the company allegedly refused to permit him to return to India even after the contract expired.
Following the minister’s intervention, the Indian Embassy in Jeddah took up the issue with the employer and held discussions to secure Pralaya’s release.