Thiruvananthapuram : Three Keralites who were allegedly tortured by their employer in Saudi Arabia returned home on Saturday with a vow not to go abroad for employment again.
The three young men, Byju Babu, Abhilash Gopi and Vimal Kumar, natives of Harippad in Alappuzha district, were received by the members of their families and friends at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport at 3 am. The three, who paid Rs.1 lakh each to an agent for employment as skilled workers in Yemen, were taken to Saudi instead and asked to work in a brick kiln. They were beaten with wooden planks by the employer when they refused to do the job. The plight of the trio came to light after they sent the video of the attack to their families through Whatsapp. After the video, which was shot by one of the workers in his mobile, went viral, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister Sushama Swaraj as well as Malayali associations in the Kingdom.
The union minister immediately alerted the Indian Ambassador at Riyadh, who located the three and arranged for their safe return. Narrating the harrowing experience, the three said that they had decided to go to Yemen after the agent promised jobs with salary up to Rs.45, 000 per month.
Abhilash, 21, said he had decided to take up the foreign job with the hope of clearing the loan he had availed for building a house. However, the loan has now swelled as he had to borrow money to pay the agent.
The three were promised mechanical, electrical and plumbing jobs but they were forced to work in brick kiln after they reached Saudi. After several failed attempts to contact the agent, Shamshad, the trio reportedly fled the spot and alerted their families. The three came in contact with the agent through Vinod Kumar, a civil police officer at the Harppad station, who reportedly visited their homes and persuaded the youngsters to go by promising attractive benefits. The police officer has been suspended for his alleged involvement in the cheating. The police have also registered a case against him and the Haripad-based agent. The chief minister has warned stern action against the accused.
