Ranchi, May 28 (IANS): At the initiative of the Jharkhand government, 180 migrant labourers trapped in Maharashtra returned by flight from Mumbai on Thursday.

Following a request made by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Central government had allowed the labourers to return by flight. These labourers did not have money to make their way back to Jharkahnd.

Soren has expressed his gratitude to the alumni of the National Law School (NLS), Bengaluru, who made arrangements for the labourers to take the flight.

The Chief Minister said that while the spirit of humanity has been strengthened amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the gesture of the NLS alumni will also inspire many other people and institutions to come forward and help the needy.

"I was working in a company making ladies' garments. During the lockdown, the company shut. We were finding it tough to get two square meals day. Now I will never go outside the state to earn money. This is the first time that I boarded a flight," said Mohammad Mursid Ansari, a resident of Chatra district.

Echoing his views, Devendra Hembrom, a resident of West Singhbhum district, said, "We will stay in our village, but will never go to other states to earn livelihood. We couldn't find any means to return home during the lockdown. We didn't have money or the courage to return by foot."

Meanwhile, with the detection of four new cases in Ranchi, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state has gone up to 463, while four people have succumbed to the dreaded virus so far.