Hyd Woman Tortured In Muscat, Appeals For Help

Quite often, pitiful stories of Indian nationals trapped in Arab countries go viral on social media. Thousands of workers from India usually go to countries like Dubai, Kuwait and Oman in search of menial jobs. Unfortunately, a few of them face harsh treatment there.

Now, a Hyderabad woman landed in a similar situation in Muscat. She is being tortured and subjected to physical abuse. The victim is identified as 26 year old Shabnam Begum.

Shabnam Begum, a resident of the Pahadi Shareef area in Hyderabad, traveled to Muscat, Oman, on March 26. A local recruitment agent had promised her a stable job as a housemaid with an attractive monthly salary of 200 Omani Riyals (approximately Rs 50,000).

However, the reality upon her reaching Muscat was vastly different. According to Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) leader Amjed Ullah Khan, who shared her plea publicly, Shabnam was forced into grueling labor conditions.

Unable to withstand the continuous abuse, Shabnam managed to escape from her employer’s custody. While she successfully reached approached Indian Embassy in Muscat, she remains stranded because her recruitment agents confiscated her passport.

In her self-recorded video appeal, a deeply distressed Shabnam revealed that she was forced to work 12 to 15 hours daily across multiple households. She alleged that she was completely denied her salary for nearly four months and was cut off from her family when her employers withheld her phone for a month and a half.

Responding to the viral appeal, the Indian Embassy in Oman confirmed via social media that they have taken notice of the matter and are addressing the situation at the appropriate diplomatic levels to bring Shabnam home safely.