Sambalpur: Distressed youths from Bargarh and Sambalpur districts stuck in Lucknow have sought government help so that they can return home amid the coronavirus lockdown. The stranded youth have been identified as Dusmant Mishra, Gyana Dev Bag and Ananta Narayan Behera of Dhanupali locality and Dusmant Mohapatra of Redhakhol locality in Sambalpur town and Sanjay Bhoi of Bargarh.
Sources said, they went March 14 to Pratapgarh to attend a relative’s marriage. After the wedding festivities, they booked tickets on the ‘Jammu Tawi Express’ to return to Odisha March 23. However, due to the imposition of ‘Janata Curfew’ March 22, their travel plans were disrupted. After that came the total lockdown in the country which left the Odia youths stranded at Lucknow. They are now residing in a small hotel near the Lucknow Railway Station and as they are running out of finances they are surviving on biscuits and breads.
They youths are very anxious as the lockdown will continue till April 14 and they do not have the means to survive that long. The youths have contacted Sambalpur District Collector Shubham Saxena over social media seeking help by getting in touch with the administrative authorities in Lucknow.
PNN