Ranchi: Jharkhand has sought the centre's help in bringing back its 38 labourers being held captive in Malaysia, an official said on Tuesday.

The labourers hail from the state's Giridih district.

"We have approached the External Affairs Ministry and apprised them of the reports of labourers held captive in Malaysia. The issue was brought to notice of Chief Minister Raghubar Das by a legislator and he has asked to look into the issue," Sanjay Kumar, principal secretary to the chief minister, told IANS here.

"We have requested the external affairs ministry officials to contact the Kuala Lumpur consulate and do needful to rescue the workers," he added.

As many as 38 labourers were taken to Malaysia in June this year to provide them employment in a company involved in constructing a transmission line. According to relatives of the labourers, their passports were seized and were not paid the assured sum of money.

Migration has been one of the key issues of the state. Poverty-stricken people, including women, move out of Jharkhand in search livelihood.