Krishna Chanara, 11, of Khalanga-8 in the district, is currently taking shelter at her maternal uncle's house in Serigaun.

According to Krishna's maternal grandmother, Krishna's mother Bhumi went to Syria for employment after her husband, who went to India in search of job opportunities 12 years, never returned.

"We now hear that she is languishing in a jail there," she said. They came to know about Bhumi's misfortune through her neighbour Renuka Chanara, who had also gone to Syria to work as a domestic help but was imprisoned along with Bhumi following the revelation of their illegal status. However, Renuka recently returned home after being released from Syrian jail paying a fine of Rs 300,000.

With this, Krishna is left without any parental support or guidance. Moreover, her grandmother is said to be having a hard time taking care of the family due to her old age. A seventh grader at Yamunanda Namuna Higher Secondary School, Krishna recently quit her studies in order to support her family.

According to Krishna's grandmother, the last time they talked to Bhumi over the phone was during the third week of July. She said Bhumi and Renuka had paid Rs 250,000 each to go to Syria. "I am yet to repay the amount we received as loan to send Bhumi abroad," she said.