By Rootsalert News Desk | 15- February-2026

Escaping a life of threats and empty promises, 11 migrant workers make it back home to Jharkhand—but say they had to pay their own way to freedom.

Earlier this week, 11 of those stranded workers finally touched down on Indian soil, breathing a sigh of relief as they returned to their villages in Hazaribagh, Giridih, and Bokaro. While their physical return brings comfort to their anxious families, their stories reveal the dark underbelly of migrant labor exploitation.

“We paid for our own rescue”

Despite the involvement of the state government and the control room set up to help migrant workers, the returnees claim they received no financial help for their travel. Triloki Mahato, one of the rescued workers from Hazaribagh, revealed a heartbreaking reality: they had to purchase their own flight tickets.

“We paid for everything ourselves. No government assistance came for the tickets. We booked them and came back,” Mahato said. Each worker reportedly spent around ₹12,000—money that is hard to come by for families already struggling with the loss of expected wages.

A Nightmare in the Desert

The group had left for the UAE in October 2025 to work on transmission line projects for a company named EMC. What followed was months of despair. The workers allege they were not paid their full wages for months. “They would give 200 or 300 dirhams at a time, just enough to manage food. Our full dues were not paid,” Mahato explained.

When they tried to protest and demand their hard-earned money, the situation turned violent. The workers described a living environment ruled by fear. They alleged that their camp boss threatened them regularly. In one shocking incident, a supervisor reportedly entered their room and physically assaulted a coworker, Baijnath Mahato. A video of this assault, sent by the workers to activists back home, stands as a chilling testament to their ordeal.

Left Behind

While 11 have returned, three of their colleagues—Ajay Kumar, Roshan, and Falender Mahato—remain in the UAE. According to the returnees, these three were moved to a different section of the work and, despite the protests of the group, decided to stay back, perhaps hoping the situation would improve or fearing the cost of return.

The Road Ahead

Social activist Sikandar Ali, who first amplified their distress call by sharing their video appeal on social media, played a crucial role in bringing their plight to the government’s attention. Yet, for the men who have returned, the journey isn’t over. They are back home, safe but empty-handed, searching for new opportunities in a job market they once left behind in hope of something better.

“We are back and now searching for other opportunities,” said Deepak Kumar, another survivor of the ordeal. “We were not paid properly there.”

As these men reunite with their families, their story serves as a stark warning about the vulnerabilities of Indian migrant workers abroad—where the dream of a foreign paycheck can far too easily turn into a fight for survival.

For millions of Indians, the glitter of Dubai represents a promise: a chance to earn, to build a home, and to give their families a better life. But for 14 men from Jharkhand, that promise crumbled into a terrifying ordeal of unpaid labor, intimidation, and physical abuse.

Earlier this week, 11 of those stranded workers finally touched down on Indian soil, breathing a sigh of relief as they returned to their villages in Hazaribagh, Giridih, and Bokaro. While their physical return brings comfort to their anxious families, their stories reveal the dark underbelly of migrant labor exploitation.

“We paid for our own rescue”

Despite the involvement of the state government and the control room set up to help migrant workers, the returnees claim they received no financial help for their travel. Triloki Mahato, one of the rescued workers from Hazaribagh, revealed a heartbreaking reality: they had to purchase their own flight tickets.

“We paid for everything ourselves. No government assistance came for the tickets. We booked them and came back,” Mahato said. Each worker reportedly spent around ₹12,000—money that is hard to come by for families already struggling with the loss of expected wages.

A Nightmare in the Desert

The group had left for the UAE in October 2025 to work on transmission line projects for a company named EMC. What followed was months of despair. The workers allege they were not paid their full wages for months. “They would give 200 or 300 dirhams at a time, just enough to manage food. Our full dues were not paid,” Mahato explained.

When they tried to protest and demand their hard-earned money, the situation turned violent. The workers described a living environment ruled by fear. They alleged that their camp boss threatened them regularly. In one shocking incident, a supervisor reportedly entered their room and physically assaulted a coworker, Baijnath Mahato. A video of this assault, sent by the workers to activists back home, stands as a chilling testament to their ordeal.

Left Behind

While 11 have returned, three of their colleagues—Ajay Kumar, Roshan, and Falender Mahato—remain in the UAE. According to the returnees, these three were moved to a different section of the work and, despite the protests of the group, decided to stay back, perhaps hoping the situation would improve or fearing the cost of return.

The Road Ahead

Social activist Sikandar Ali, who first amplified their distress call by sharing their video appeal on social media, played a crucial role in bringing their plight to the government’s attention. Yet, for the men who have returned, the journey isn’t over. They are back home, safe but empty-handed, searching for new opportunities in a job market they once left behind in hope of something better.

“We are back and now searching for other opportunities,” said Deepak Kumar, another survivor of the ordeal. “We were not paid properly there.”

As these men reunite with their families, their story serves as a stark warning about the vulnerabilities of Indian migrant workers abroad—where the dream of a foreign paycheck can far too easily turn into a fight for survival.