The migrant labourers who had been walking along railway tracks from Raxaul on the Nepal border since April 28 to reach home 650km away in East Burdwan after a train took them in the opposite direction accomplished their mission on Thursday evening with the Bengal government sending a car to bring them back from Jhajha railway station in Bihar.

After reaching, the 10 migrant workers were sent to 14 days’ home quarantine following a health check-up at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.

“We thank the Bengal government for bringing us back from Bihar. We had run out of energy at Jhajha railway station and home was around 259km away. When we boarded the car with police guards, we could not hold back our tears of joy,” said Rajesh Debnath, one of the migrants.

The Telegraph had reported on May 3 about the 10 migrant labourers who had started walking home from Madhubani in Bihar on April 27 but a cop misguided them that left them further away from home at Raxaul.

After walking for 10 days and surviving mostly on biscuits, they reached Jhajha on Wednesday. Without food for 36 hours, a good Samaritan provided lunch to the weary youths. While they were resting, Rajesh received a called from Nabanna assuring the group that they would be brought back home.

“A top Nabanna official had called up the police and the district administration and given the details of the 10 labourers. A car was sent from the Chowrangi outpost in Asansol to bring them back. Food and drinking water were also sent,” said an official in West Burdwan.

“When I look back at the journey, it haunts me. I never thought that we would reach home,” said another youth.