12 Indians taken illegally from Punjab to Libya rescued after 2 months

New Delhi, March 5

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A joint effort of the National Commission for Minorities, Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in Tunisia helped rescue 12 Indian workers who were stranded in Libya for the past two months.

They were illegally taken to Libya from Punjab by an agent who promised them lucrative jobs, good salary and a happy life.

A statement released by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) informed that after they were taken to Libya, they were offered jobs in private companies without any salary and kept as bonded labour. They also alleged that they were brutally beaten and not even offered proper food.

NCM chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura received a representation from some local leaders with a request to bring them back as they belong to the minority communities.

Lalpura forwarded the representation to the ministry on February 6 and requested it to initiate action. The embassy of India in Tunisia was also contacted in this regard.

As informed by the embassy, a resident of Benghazi in Libya helped in providing humanitarian assistance and relief supplies to the stranded Indians.

With the help of the ministry and the embassy, four out of 12 Indians were successfully brought back from Libya on February 12.

The remaining eight workers were brought back on March 2, it said.