Survived for a month just on water, Punjab girl rescued from Muscat

A young girl from Jalandhar district, who had gone to Oman dreaming of improving her family’s financial condition, endured months of exploitation before being rescued and brought home safely by the intervention of MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal. Her painful account has shed light on the alarming rise of human trafficking networks exploiting Indians abroad.

The girl, who had gone to Muscat on June 15, on the assurance of a friend, said she realised soon after arrival that she had fallen prey to a fraudulent recruitment racket. She was confined to the four walls of an office-like building, where more than 10 other Indian women were being held in deplorable condition. “They made us work for 12 hours a day without rest and anyone who made even a small mistake was mercilessly beaten up,” she recounted.

Food was scarce and the victim revealed she survived for an entire month on nothing, but water. “It was like living in hell,” she said, adding that her passport and mobile phone were confiscated immediately upon arrival, leaving her with no way to contact her family. She further revealed that many women were deceived with promises of high-paying jobs, only to be coerced into illegal or immoral activities after their visas expired. Those who resisted were subjected to severe physical and mental abuse.

The girl’s mother reached out to Seechewal, who promptly took up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Oman. After weeks of coordinated efforts, she was finally rescued and safely repatriated to India.

Speaking on the incident, Seechewal expressed concern over the growing menace of human trafficking and urged people to be cautious before accepting job offers abroad. “Before travelling to Gulf or other foreign countries, always check whether the visa is a legitimate work visa or a tourist visa,” he said, warning that several agents send unsuspecting women abroad on tourist visas, leading to exploitation once they reach their destination.

In a related revelation, a youth from Jalandhar, who was recently rescued from Cambodia through Sant Seechewal’s efforts, disclosed that Indians there are being forced into illegal cyber-related activities. He stated that agents lure young men with promises of high-salary jobs in Thailand, but then sell them to companies in Cambodia, where they are made to carry out cyber frauds. “Those who refuse are beaten up brutally,” the youth reported.

Seechewal’s humanitarian efforts have previously resulted in the safe return of four Indian youths from Myanmar, who had similarly fallen victim to transnational trafficking and fraud networks.

Seechewal emphasised that while poverty and unemployment push many young people to seek opportunities overseas, it is crucial for the government to tighten regulation of travel and recruitment agents to prevent such tragedies. “We must protect our youth from being exploited by these criminal syndicates operating under the guise of foreign employment,” he said.

The Muscat survivor’s return stands as both a personal triumph and a grim reminder of the dark underbelly of human trafficking that continues to trap vulnerable Indians abroad. Thanks to timely intervention and cross-border cooperation, another life has been saved — but the growing pattern of exploitation calls for urgent and coordinated action at both national and international levels.