14 Jharkhand migrant workers stranded in Dubai, seek govt help to return

Fourteen migrant workers from Jharkhand, stranded in Dubai, have appealed to the government to facilitate their return after their employer allegedly failed to pay the agreed-upon wages and blocked their return to India. The migrants hail from Giridih, Hazaribagh, and Bokaro districts.

Sharing their plight through a video to social activist Sikandar Ali, the workers said they are unable to return to India and don’t have an accommodation. Ali has said the workers had gone to Dubai in 2025 to work on a transmission line project for a private company. “They alleged they have not been paid salaries for three months," said Ali.

Appeal to government

Sikandar Ali has demanded that the central and state governments take concrete diplomatic steps for the safe return of the labourers. "Migrant workers in the past have also been harassed overseas, and with a lot of difficulty, they have been brought home. Still the migrants continue to go overseas to earn a living," said Ali.

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The workers who are stranded in Dubai include Roshan Kumar and Ajay Kumar (both from Sariya in Giridih), Rajesh Mahato and Ajay Kumar from Bagodar in Giridih, Daleshwar Mahato from Penk Narayanpur in Bokaro, Jageshwar Mahato and Phalendra Mahato from Khedadih, Baijnath Mahato from Siraiya, Dilip Mahato, Gangadhar Mahato, Triloki Mahato, Deepak Kumar from Basariya, Rohit Mahato and Seva Mahato from Gorhar (all in Hazaribag district).

Allegations

Deepak Kumar told The Indian Express that all 14 workers had agreed to work for 1,600 dirhams each. However, they are paid barely 1,000 dirhams. The 32-year-old transmission line worker from Hazaribagh was employed by an Indian company EMC Electromechanical Co LLC in Dubai. He said they were contacted by someone who had previously worked with the company and had convinced them to move to Dubai.

Ghanshyam Mahato, who handled the recruitment, maintained that the workers were clearly informed that flight cost would be adjusted against their salaries. He said the company was paying the basic wage, with initial deductions made to recoup the ticket costs it had paid upfront.

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However, Daleshwar Mahto another worker from Bokaro, rejected Mahato’s claims and said they were assured all the expenses would be borne by the company.

An HR official of Dubai-based EMC, Manjunath Nagvi, said the workers were not allowed to travel as the company had invested in a two-year visa for them. He maintained that the salaries were paid.

Rescue measures

Speaking to PTI, team leader of the state migrant control cell, Shikha Lakra said they are trying to get in touch with the migrant workers to verify the documents following which they will approach the Indian Embassy and UAE government officials for safe repatriation of the migrant workers.