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Published 14:39 IST, February 15th 2020

Telangana government brings back 16 labourers stranded in Iraq for 2 years

The Central and Telangana government on Saturday brought back sixteen Telangana laborers, who were stranded in Iraq for more than two years.

Reported by: Misha Bhatt
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Thanks to the rigorous efforts of the Central and Telangana state government, sixteen Telangana labourers, who were stranded in Iraq for more than two years, returned to India on Saturday. The labourers hailed from different regions of Telangana. Their agents cheated them and sent them to the Middle Eastern country on the fake promise of finding work for them. 

While speaking to a news agency, one of the rescued labourers said, "I had been stranded in Iraq for years and faced severe problems. I was sent there on a tourist visa by an agent who promised me I would find work there."

"My visa soon got expired and I was stranded there." the labourer then added.

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Labourers post video asking for help

The matter came into notice when the labourers took to their social media accounts and posted videos addressed to the Telangana government, asking for help. They spoke about the problems and hardships that faced upon leaving India. The labourers had also appealed to the government to help them come back home to India. 

After the videos spread on social media, the Telangana government sprung into action. Concerned authorities coordinated with the Central government to reach out to the labourers and arrange for their repartition to India.

In a similar incident that took place in January, four women hailing from Andhra Pradesh had also susccessfully appealed to the state government for their early repatriation from Kuwait.

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K. T. Rama Rao says delighted to help

Earlier in the day, Minister in the Telangana Government K. T. Rama Rao had also taken to his official Twitter handle and had welcomed the labourers back to India. 

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(With Agency Inputs)

Updated 14:39 IST, February 15th 2020

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