PHAGWARA, Apr 1: Two Indian citizens hailing from Punjab, were allegedly tricked by travel agents and sent to Iraq instead of Kuwait and held captive there by a company, which forced the duo into gruelling labour while denying them proper food and wages.
Describing their time in Iraq as “unbearable”, Gurpreet Singh and Sodhi Ram, residents of Pattar Kalan in Jalandhar, said “a single day in captivity felt like an entire year”. Upon their return, they expressed deep gratitude to Rajya Sabha MP and environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, whose timely intervention made their escape possible.
Gurpreet and Sodhi had taken loans to pay Rs 1.85 lakh each to travel agents for job placements in Kuwait. However, upon arrival, they realised they had been deceived and were instead taken to Iraq, where they were exploited.
Despite working under extreme conditions, they received no salary, no medical care, and barely enough food to survive.
Before being allowed to leave, the company forced them to sign multiple documents, likely aimed at securing legal protection for their exploitative practices. They had lost all hope of returning home until Sant Seechewal intervened.
Their families, struggling with financial hardships, contacted Sant Seechewal on March 15. Acting swiftly, he sought help from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy.
Gurpreet and Sodhi were able to return to India on March 28, just 14 days after the rescue efforts began.
Sant Seechewal expresse gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy for their prompt action in bringing the men back. He urged Punjabis, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds, to be cautious before seeking jobs in Gulf countries.
Furthermore, he called upon law enforcement agencies to take strict action against fraudulent travel agents who exploit vulnerable job seekers. *UNI)
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