Three Pune girls lured for a job in Saudi Arabia
Three Pune girls lured for a job in Saudi Arabia
September 21, 2023
Pube: Three young women were recently lured with promises of employment in Saudi Arabia, only to be sold to wealthy individuals in the country. Thanks to the efforts of the State Women’s Commission and the Police, these women were successfully rescued, and a trafficking racket was busted in the process.
Upon investigation, it was found that the perpetrators would prepare documents for the women in Mumbai before sending them to Saudi Arabia via Kerala. The police have discovered an active network involved in trafficking Indian women to Gulf countries, prompting a full-fledged investigation.
Agents Nasreen Bhabhi, Abdul Hameed Sheikh, Shamima Khan, and Hakeem have been named in a case registered at the Market Yard Police Station. The complaint was filed by a 47-year-old woman. This criminal operation took place between October 2022 and July 2, 2023, involving locations in Pune, Mumbai, Kerala, and Saudi Arabia.
The victim and her daughter were sold to a Sheikh in Riyadh for four lakh rupees under the guise of securing a house help job in Saudi Arabia.
Exploiting their vulnerability and poverty, the perpetrators arranged tourist visas for the victims. The accused woman deliberately spoke on the phone in earshot of the victim, discussing the need for cleaning workers in Saudi Arabia who are paid generously.
Tempted by the opportunity, the victim inquired about the salary and work, and the accused provided her with information to facilitate her relocation. The woman and her daughter were then taken from Pune to Mumbai, where all necessary documents, flight tickets, and visas were prepared. The medical tests were also conducted in Mumbai. The exact location in Mumbai where they stayed remains unknown to the victims, as the accused took great care to keep it a secret.
Subsequently, the victims were given railway reservations for Kerala and were eventually flown to Saudi Arabia. Throughout this process, the women’s photos were shared via WhatsApp with individuals in Saudi Arabia who awaited their arrival at the airport. Once in Saudi Arabia, the women were sent to work in the house of the Sheikh who had purchased them. They worked for two years, initially earning 20-25 thousand rupees per month, with the promise of eventually receiving 35,000 to 40,000 rupees.
However, their salaries were abruptly halted. When questioned about this, the Sheikh callously responded, “I bought you for four lakh rupees.” Despite being in the same city, the victims were sold to different households. During a phone conversation, they coincidentally heard the sound of Azan (Islamic call to prayer), which alerted them to their proximity. Seizing the opportunity, they escaped one day under the pretense of taking out the garbage and made their way directly to the Indian Embassy. There, they courageously shared their harrowing experience, revealing that their passports and documents had been confiscated upon arrival. On June 7, they emailed the Women’s Commission, providing all the necessary details. With the assistance of the embassy, the victims were issued new passports and safely repatriated to India.
