Relief for Families: UP-Bihar Nationals Return from Ethiopian Captivity

New Delhi: The arduous journey home for 20 individuals from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who were held captive in Ethiopia for nearly two months, is gradually nearing its conclusion.

Among them, Amit Kumar Pathak of Begusarai reached Delhi earlier today, marking a significant step towards their return to India. Additionally, Sanjay Yadav from Siwan, Vinod Maurya from Gorakhpur, Sudhir Pathak from Kushinagar, and Amarlal Prasad from Deoria arrived in Mumbai via flight.

Amit Kumar Pathak, speaking upon his arrival in Delhi, expressed gratitude towards the Government of India for their assistance in facilitating their return. Amit is set to reunite with his family in Paharpur village, Begusarai, by Monday evening, following an unexpected journey that required him to spend Rs. 50,000 to reach home due to logistical challenges upon arrival.

The ordeal began when these individuals, employed by Yeshu PLC Glen, faced difficulties after an accident at their workplace three months ago. The company allegedly withheld their wages amounting to $2,400 (approx Rs two lakh) each, prompting them to seek repatriation. So far, seven individuals have successfully returned to India, with others expected to follow suit soon.

Amit Kumar Pathak recounted that he and four others departed Ethiopia recently, while Rajkumar Yadav from Siwan and Rammani Yadav from Gopalganj arrived a couple of days earlier. Currently, Ajay Singh, Dinesh Milan from Deoria, Nagendra Gupta from Kushinagar, Munna Kumar Yadav, Durg Vijay Maurya from Maharajganj, Suraj Yadav from Prayagraj, Vipin Singh from Jaunpur, Vijendra Kumar Rai from Chapra, Rohit Kumar from Bihar, Barrister Singh from Gopalganj, Shambhu Kumar Bhagat from Siwan, Shankar Kumar from Sheohar, and Surendra Kumar from Himachal Pradesh are awaiting their return to India. The necessary formalities have been largely completed, signaling their imminent homecoming.

The saga began in December 2022 when these individuals ventured to Ethiopia for employment opportunities through an agent. Initially, their experience was positive until circumstances took a downturn following the workplace incident, leading to their confinement in a compound for the past two months.

Amidst the ordeal, Mukesh Kumar Pathak, Amit’s brother, sought help through various channels, including appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, local MPs, and officials.

Upon receiving the distressing news, the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia promptly engaged with the affected individuals, facilitating the return of their passports and visas while canceling their employment agreements. As a result, the process of repatriation has been orderly and efficient, ensuring the safe return of these stranded Indian nationals from Ethiopia.