Lakhanpur: Even though the lockdown continues to be in force across the country to contain COVID-19, five desperate migrant workers from Ganjam district managed to find their way back by riding bicycles all the way from Varanasi.
According to a source, the workers who had migrated to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh in search of job had to come back home following COVID-19 outbreak. These workers, however, were detained by Banharpali police in Jharsuguda district. They were subsequently sent to a quarantine centre at a local school in Telenpali panchayat Friday.
The five migrant workers will be kept under quarantine for 14 days following which they will be released to go home.
According to a source, the workers belong to Nuagaon police limits under Digapahandi block in the district. They became jobless when the construction site they were working at was closed following the announcement of lockdown.
After the migrant workers crossed over 600 km to reach Kanaktora checkgate on the borderline of Chhattisgarh-Odisha, they were registered by the local police and stamped on their respective hands. They were allowed to move ahead till they were detained by Banharpali police IIC Prashant Meher. Lakhanpali block development officer (BDO) put them under quarantine at a nearby centre, the block sources informed.