Sixteen labourers from Telangana, who were stranded in Iraq for more than two years, returned to India following efforts by the Central and State governments.
The labourers, who hailed from different regions of Telangana, were allegedly cheated by their agents, who sent them to the Middle Eastern country on tourists visas on the promise of finding work.
"I had been stranded in Iraq for years and faced severe problems. I was sent there on a tourist visa by an agent who promised me I would find work there," one of the labourers told upon his return to Hyderabad.
"My visa soon got expired and I was stranded there," he added.
The matter came to light after the labourers posted a video on social media addressed to the Telangana government, explaining the hardship they were facing after leaving India with the help of agents, and appealing the government for their repatriation to their homeland.
Following this, the state government swung into action and the concerned officials coordinated with the Centre to reach out to the labourers and arrange for their repatriation to India.
A similar incident had surfaced last month, when four women hailing from Andhra Pradesh, had appealed the state government for their early repatriation from Kuwait.
( With inputs from ANI )