Bhubaneswar, June 24: An atmosphere of deep sorrow prevailed across several villages in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Wednesday as the mortal remains of five women migrant workers, who lost their lives in a tragic ammonia gas leak in Tamil Nadu, were brought back to their native places.

The bodies reached Kodipasa, Talachampei, Rangamatia and Tangiri villages, where grieving family members, relatives and villagers gathered in large numbers to pay their final respects. Two of the deceased women belonged to Tangiri village, while the others hailed from Kodipasa, Talachampei and Rangamatia.

Heart-rending scenes unfolded as bereaved families broke down on seeing the bodies of their loved ones, who had left home in search of employment and a better future. The entire villages mourned the untimely deaths of the women, many of whom were the primary earners for their families.

The victims were employed at a seafood processing unit in Periyapalayam in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district, where a major ammonia gas leak claimed several lives and left many others injured. The tragedy has shocked communities both in Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

With these deaths, the toll of workers from Keonjhar who perished in the industrial accident has risen to seven. However, the bodies of two other victims are yet to arrive in the district.

Local residents expressed profound grief over the loss, remembering the women as hardworking individuals who had migrated to support their families and improve their livelihoods. The incident has once again highlighted the risks faced by migrant workers employed far from home.

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