Held hostage in Dubai & Muscat, Malout woman shares sordid tale

Tribune News Service

Sultanpur Lodhi, Feb 4

After four months of captivity in Dubai and Muscat, a Malout girl has finally returned to Punjab. She had alleged that she was physically assaulted for months. The victim claimed that while she was held hostage, 25 to 30 other girls, including those from Punjab, were also held hostage there.

Talking to the press at Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi, the victim said that a team of Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal and advocate Gurbhej Singh played a leading role in bringing her back from the Arab country. The victim woman said that she was sent to Dubai on a tourist visa by a travel agent through a Noida-based company. From there, she was sent to Muscat. The victim stated that due to her poor financial condition, she had to take a loan to go abroad. She was assured that she would perform domestic chores in Dubai but she realised that she had been lied to when her mobile phone was snatched from her, she was thrashed and her clothes were also torn apart.

Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal said that the matter was brought to his notice by advocate Gurbhej Singh and he then wrote to External Affairs Minister Jai Shankar in this regard. During the Parliament session, he seriously raised this issue before the External Affairs Minister. The Ministry of External Affairs, after identifying the victim, the ministry started the process to enable her return to India.

Seechewal has appealed to the people of Punjab to thoroughly research travel agents and foreign companies before sending their daughters abroad. At Nirmal Kuteya, Seechewal honoured the team of lawyers who had played a key role in helping the victim.

Gurbhej said two travel agents from Punjab were involved in the case, namely a woman identified as Kamaljit Kaur and her partner Resham Singh. A case was registered against them and Kamaljit was nabbed. On this occasion, the sarpanch of the victim’s village, Daljot Singh Jyoti, advocate Mavpreet Singh, advocate Atul Pratap Dhankhar, Gurjit Singh and relatives of the victim were present.

Duped by agents

• The victim woman said that she was sent to Dubai on a tourist visa by a travel agent through a Noida-based company. From there, she was sent to Muscat
• She was assured that she would perform domestic chores in Dubai but she realised that she had been lied to when her mobile phone was snatched from her, she was thrashed and her clothes were also torn apart