BICHITRA KUMAR PRADHAN, A NATIVE OF KURUNTI VILLAGE UNDER RAJNAGAR BLOCK, RETURNED FROM CIVIL WAR-HIT LIBYA. TELEGRAPH PICTURE

Kendrapara, March 9: The civil war in Libya has cast its shadow over several villages of this district. With a number of immigrants hailing from here still holed up the strife-torn zones, an air of anxiety and uneasiness looms over their family members.

“Some of them are lucky enough to have returned home. But many more immigrants are still waiting for their turn. We are trying our best to help those stranded in Libya,” district labour officer Pradipta Kumar Mohanty told The Telegraph.

According to estimates, at least 26 migrant workers from Kendrapara are still in Libya. About six immigrants from the district have safely returned with the Centre’ intervention, Mohanty said.

These migrant workers had immigrated to Libya according to provisions under the Immigration Act and Foreign Recruitment Act. However, it is believed that many more from Kendrapara might have illegally immigrated to the Middle Eastern country. There is no definite information on such illegal immigrants, he said.

Sobha Nayak, a 70-year-old widow, has been waiting for the past fortnight for the return of her son. “Please save my son. They will kill my son. I have lost my husband. I cannot bear losing my son,” a sobbing Sobha said.

“She stopped taking food for the last two days. Her son Abhaya Nayak left for Libya’s capital Tripoli last December through a local labour contractor. After the unrest erupted, he had called up his younger brother last week. Since then, there has been no news of him,” said Jagannath Acharya from Diyanpatana village under Pattamundai police station.

Nayak hailed from a landless peasant family. His father, who died two years ago, was a tenant farmer. Nayak worked as a plumber in Bangalore before immigrating to Libya.

Parents and family members at villages like Aul, Rajnagar and Pattamundai have been waiting anxiously for the return of their wards.

“We are spending sleepless nights. My son Sumanta is yet to return from Libya. He was not an illegal immigrant. The government should rescue all Indians including my son from that rogue country,” said Sukanta Pradhan from Olasahi village under Rajnagar police station.

“Five days ago he called me. He told me that he would board the Delhi-bound flight on March 7. But he is yet to arrive. His phone is switched off. I have contacted the district labour office and the emergency cell of the administration. But they have no information on him,” Pradhan said.

An immigrant from Kendrapara safely returned today. “It was because of the blessings of the God and my parents that I am alive today. I had lost all hope that I would be back,” said 25-year-old electrician Bichitra Kumar Pradhan from Rajnagar’s Kurunti village.