Setback for Paramjit Kaur

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 8

After spending 80 long years in poverty, it was a tragic end for 80-year-old Dilip Kaur, mother-in-law of Paramjit Kaur who remains stranded in Saudi Arabia since July this year.

Despite waiting long for her return, the old woman could not bear it further and died of heart attack today. The family has refused to cremate her and has urged the n government to ensure the safe return of Paramjit Kaur.

Naresh, a close relative of the family, said the condition of Dilip Kaur deteriorated after she came to know about the fake ticket given by the travel agent.

“She was very happy when the police handed us the air ticket of Paramjit Kaur who was to return on November 25. The family even distributed sweets in the village. However, when we checked later, it was found to be a fake one. Also, the claim made by Union Minister Sushma Swaraj though brought hope for the family, even that turned out to be a gaffe,” said Naresh, adding that the family had refused to cremate the body and had urged the Union government to ensure the safe return of Paramjit Kaur to attend the last rites of her mother-in-law. The family has kept the body in a nearby government hospital.

During a Tribune team’s visit to the family last week, Dilip Kaur had made an emotional request to the Central and the state government to bring back Paramjit Kaur. With folded handS, she had even posted a video along with Paramjit’s Kaur’s husband Malkiat and children Pooja, Rajji and Luvpreet Singh.

Paramjit (39) of Gorsiya Nihal village in Jalandhar had allegedly been sold and being made to work against her wishes in Hail city of Saudi Arabia. Paramjit had gone there for a job as a domestic help on July 13 and contacted the family about her incarceration by her employer on August 21.

While the Government of India has facilitated the safe return of over dozens of women from Saudi Arabia to Punjab in the last few months, Paramjit alone could not be brought back.

The family claimed that now, the agent had handed over yet another air ticket for Paramjit kaur for her departure on December 18 and was hoping that they should not get unlucky for the third time.

The Jalandhar rural police have also maintained silence over the delay in arresting agent Resham Bhatti who has been booked under Sections 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.