‘We paid for everything’ — 11 Jharkhand workers rescued from Dubai allege assault and unpaid wages

Eleven of the fourteen Jharkhand workers stranded in Dubai over alleged non-payment of wages returned to India Thursday following the state government’s intervention. An official from the state migrant workers control room, Shikha Lakra, told The Indian Express that the workers landed in Bengaluru from Abu Dhabi and later travelled to Kolkata before reaching their respective districts in Jharkhand by road. Three workers — one from Hazaribagh and two from Giridih — have stayed back in the UAE. Triloki Mahato, one of the workers from Hazaribagh who returned, told The Indian Express that each worker spent around Rs 12,000 on flight tickets. “We paid for everything ourselves. No government assistance came. We booked tickets and came back,” he said. Mahato said three workers — Ajay Kumar from Hazaribagh and Roshan and Falender Mahato from Giridih — have stayed back in the UAE. “They did not return as they were moved to another section of the work. All of us had protested, but they decided to stay,” he said. He alleged the workers did not receive wages for nearly one-and-a-half months before leaving. “Earlier also, payments were cut heavily. They would give 200 or 300 dirhams at a time, just enough to manage food. Our full dues were not paid,” he said. Mahato further alleged that when the workers demanded full payment and sought to return home, a supervisor and the man who accommodated them threatened them. “Our camp boss used to threaten us and there was an incident when he entered our room and beat our coworker, Baijnath Mahato,” he claimed. The video Triloki sent to The Indian Express shows a man purportedly physically assaulting a worker inside the camp. Deepak Kumar, 32, another worker from Hazaribagh, said the group has decided not to return to the same company. “We are back and now searching for other opportunities. We were not paid properly there. If we go abroad again, we will first ensure there is a written agreement,” he said. The workers were stranded after their employer allegedly failed to pay wages as promised and made salary deductions. They are from Giridih, Hazaribagh and Bokaro districts and had sent a video message detailing their condition, reaching out to social activist Sikandar Ali through social media for help. After verifying their details, Ali shared the information publicly and urged government intervention. Following this, the SOS team under the Labour Department initiated steps to rescue and bring back the workers. Social activist Sikandar Ali said three workers remain in the UAE as they did not have immediate funds to purchase return tickets. “After the matter came into public, there was pressure. Eleven managed to come back, but three are still there,” he said. Shubham Tigga is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, presently based in Pune, where he covers the intersections of infrastructure, labor, and the modern economy. His reporting focuses on civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers' unions, providing critical insights into how transit and commercial sectors impact the daily lives of citizens. Expertise & Background Before moving to Pune, he reported extensively from his home state of Chhattisgarh, where he focused on Indigenous (Adivasi) issues, environmental justice, and grassroots struggles in mainland India. This experience gives him a unique lens through which he analyzes the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities. Academic Foundation He is an alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he honed his skills in investigative reporting and ethical journalism. His academic training, combined with his field experience in Central India, allows him to navigate complex socio-economic landscapes with nuance and accuracy. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More