Around 48 migrant workers from Jharkhand are reportedly stranded in Tunisia after being deceived by a recruitment firm that promised them proper contracts and fair wages. The workers, mostly from Hazaribagh, Giridih, and Bokaro districts, allege that they were forced to work long hours without pay and threatened with jail if they protested or tried to return to India.
According to reports, the workers were employed through a Delhi-based private company linked to a multinational firm for a project involving the installation of high-voltage power lines. However, after reaching Tunisia, their situation worsened. They were made to work over 12 hours a day without pay for the past three to six months. Many have run out of money for food and phone calls.
In video messages sent to Indian authorities and social activists, the workers said they were “starving” and “desperately waiting to return home.” The employer, identified as Prem Power Construction Private Limited, has been accused of withholding their salaries and misleading them about the job terms.
Following these distress calls, the Jharkhand Labour Department has stepped in. Officials from the Migrant Control Cell have contacted the Indian Embassy in Tunisia to arrange the workers’ safe return. “We have spoken to the stranded workers and are verifying their documents. The Embassy is coordinating their repatriation,” said Shikha Lakra, team leader of the Migrant Control Cell.
Social activist Sikander Ali, who first raised the alarm, said he received a video message from one of the stranded men, Sanjay Kumar from Giridih, on Thursday night. “I shared it with the migrant cell and journalists, who then informed the chief minister’s office,” he told PTI.
Efforts are now underway by Indian and Jharkhand authorities to rescue and bring the workers safely back home.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
