Hyderabad woman scammed, trapped in Muscat; kin seek MEA intervention

Sajida Begum was reportedly promised a housemaid job in Oman by a local agent; on reaching Muscat, she was allegedly forced to work in multiple homes, physically abused, denied proper food and accommodation

Hyderabad: A woman from the city who sought to work abroad ended up being cheated in a job scam and trapped at Muscat in Oman.

The incident came to light recently after the 37-year-old woman Sajida Begum’s family from Kalapathar appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) through a letter, urging immediate intervention.

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According to the family, Sajida Begum was promised a housemaid job in Oman by a local agent and she left for Muscat in June this year with a tourist visa. But on reaching Muscat, she was allegedly forced to work in multiple homes for long hours.

They later found out that Sajida was issued a one month single-entry tourist visa and not a work permit by the travel agent.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, her daughter Habeeba Begum explained that Sajida was being physically abused, denied proper food and accommodation, and was not allowed to return unless she paid Rs 2 lakh, the amount allegedly claimed by her employer as recruitment cost.

Habeeba further alleged that she was confined in a travel office in Muscat and that her mobile phone was snatched. She requested the External Affairs authorities to safely bring back her mother at the earliest.