AI Generated Summary
- When she pleaded to return home, she was allegedly told that she would only be allowed to leave if she paid Rs 2 lakh or arranged for two other women from India to replace her.
- One of the rescued women, a resident of Jalandhar, reached Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi after her return and spoke publicly for the first time about the trauma she endured abroad.
- He said he had recently written to the MEA regarding nearly 70 Indian women reportedly trapped in Oman.
Five women from Punjab who were stranded and allegedly exploited in Oman have been safely repatriated to India following the intervention of Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal. One of the rescued women, a resident of Jalandhar, reached Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi after her return and spoke publicly for the first time about the trauma she endured abroad.
Recounting her experience, the woman said her safe return would not have been possible without the timely help of Sant Seechewal. According to her, her family approached the MP on December 16, 2025, after losing hope of bringing her back through other means. The matter was immediately taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), leading to her repatriation within just two weeks. She returned to India on December 30 along with four other women who had been trapped under similar circumstances.
The victim revealed that she was sent to Oman in September on the promise of employment. However, soon after reaching the country, she realised she had been deceived and effectively sold for 1,200 Omani riyals. She alleged that her aunt, who accompanied her, abandoned her in Oman and returned to India.
Her account paints a disturbing picture of exploitation. She said she was subjected to constant pressure to engage in immoral activities and was physically assaulted whenever she resisted. When she pleaded to return home, she was allegedly told that she would only be allowed to leave if she paid Rs 2 lakh or arranged for two other women from India to replace her.
The woman said she initially worked as a domestic help for nearly two months. Eventually, she managed to escape and reach a safer location, where she encountered around 70 other Indian women who were also trapped and facing similar abuse. According to her, in parts of the Muscat region, young women are frequently lured with false job offers, only to be exploited upon arrival. Any resistance, she said, often results in denial of food, beatings, and constant intimidation.
Issuing a warning, the victim appealed to young women and their families to be extremely cautious about overseas employment offers, especially those made through informal channels. She cautioned that, under the prevailing circumstances, Oman is not safe for young women seeking work.
Addressing the media, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal described the exploitation of Indian women in certain Arab countries as a grave and ongoing concern. He said he had recently written to the MEA regarding nearly 70 Indian women reportedly trapped in Oman. Following this communication, swift action was taken, resulting in the safe return of five women.
The MP stressed the need for stringent action against human trafficking networks, asserting that only strong legal and administrative measures can prevent vulnerable women from falling prey to such criminal rackets in the future.
