Ganjam official meets kin of Mangaraj in distress in Saudi Arabia

Berhampur: Following the request of Mangaraj’s father Prafulla Pradhan for the rescue of his son, who is languishing in a Saudi Arabia farm, the Ganjam district officials visited the village and started enquiry into the matter on Monday.

After highlighting the issue in the media, district administration has started enquiry into the matter. Father of Mangaraj Pradhan has requested to the Berhampur SP and District Labour officer on Tuesday for the safe returning of his son from Saudi Arabia.

It is noted that, Mangaraj Pradhan alias Muna, son of Prafulla Pradhan from Badabaranga village under K. Nuagaon police station of Chikiti Block of Ganjam district was sold to a Saudi Arabia farm for Rs 6 lakh by an agent from Kanchili area of Andhra Pradesh in 2010. The Kanchili agent Purnachadra Sahu motivated him by telling high earning from the foreign country. Muna was promised for a good job in gardening sector, but when he landed there, he got to know that he was cheated by the agent. Kanchili agent had sent Muna to a Chennai agent Satya. Through Satya, he was reached in Mumbai. Then the agent Samrin of VT in Mumbai had sold him for Rs 6 lakh to a Saudi Arabia farm. The man who owns a farm of camels and sheep, daily sends the youth to look after the camels and the herd of sheep without paying any remuneration. The youth has told his parents over phone that the agent who sent him there has sold him to the Saudi man for `6 lakh.

Deputy collector Shiv Narayana Sahu, Labour Inspector T. Rajeya visited the Badabaranga village for enquiry into the matter. After meeting to the officials, Muna’s father Prafulla Pradhan along with other villagers have narrated about their son’s plight in Saudi Arabia in front of them. They assured Muna’s father and other villagers to bring his son from Saudi Arabia. After the necessary enquiry, the process of bringing back to the boy will be ready, said the district officials.

It is noteworthy that just a week back, more than 150 Odia labourers were reported to be languishing in Sudan where they were dispatched by a Kerala firm to work in a power plant. The labourers migrated mainly from villages under Patrapur block in Ganjam district.