Urgent Plea for Help: Odisha Minister Seeks Safe Return of Stranded Youth from Saudi Arabia

Minister's Call for Action

Bhubaneswar: The Minister for Industries, Skill Development, and Technical Education, Sampad Chandra Swain, has reached out to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, requesting assistance for an Odia youth currently stranded in Saudi Arabia. The minister has called upon the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to ensure the safe return of Pralaya Ranjan Mahapatra, hailing from Jagatsinghpur district, who went to Saudi Arabia on May 24, 2024, to work as a wheel loader driver for Mazad Al-Harbi Co.

Pralaya's mother, Pratima Sethi, filed a complaint stating that although her son's employment contract was set to expire on April 30, 2026, the company has not permitted him to return home despite the contract's completion. She also mentioned that Pralaya's father is ill, which has heightened the family's anxiety and distress. In light of this situation, Swain has urged the MEA to take immediate humanitarian action to facilitate Pralaya's return.

In his correspondence, the minister also appealed to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia for prompt intervention and necessary support for Pralaya's repatriation. He emphasized that while the young worker remains stranded overseas, his family in Odisha is enduring significant emotional turmoil and uncertainty. Swain has called on the central government to act quickly to ensure Pralaya's safe and swift return.