Udupi: Karkala woman allegedly ill-treated in Saudi, children fear for her safety


Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Apr 5: Jacintha might be among those several women who have been promised jobs in the Gulf by agents and then cheated. Quite a few job agents have sprouted in the city and are playing with people’s lives.

Jacintha (42), from Karkala was looking for a job for survival. Having lost her husband due to tuberculosis last year, she wanted a job to earn and educate her three children. An agent from Mangaluru, identified as James, informed her about a job of housemaid in Qatar. She was promised a salary of Rs 25,000 per month too. The agent procured her passport and visa, and handed them over to her.

Jacintha went to Delhi via Mumbai, from where she flew to the Gulf on June 19, 2016. To her shock, she landed in Saudi Arabia instead of Qatar. She is yet to return, and her children here are worried for her health and safety.


(Faces blurred on request)

Her elder daughter, Venita, a graduate, says, "My mother is under threat and is also being consistently tortured by her employer. She is suffering from tuberculosis and fever. I feel, she is not getting proper food. I could understand her dilemma in her voice. She might have become weak without treatment for her illness."

Jacintha's son Welroy who is pursuing BCom at Shirva College says, "The employer is sending Rs 17,000 every month and that is the only source of income for our livelihood. We hope that her employer will not trouble her and send her back to India soon.

The youngest daughter of Jacintha, Velita has completed her PUC.

Addressing a press meet, Ravindranath Shanbagh, president of Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF) said, "Jacintha is trapped from the last 10 months in the small town of known of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia. The Human Right Protection Foundation literally has tried hard to know the whereabouts of the lady for many months. A letter had been sent to Sushma Swaraj, minister for external affairs and Arathi Krishnamurthy. Now, Protector General of Emigrants M C Luther and Consul General of Jeddah are in constant touch with her employer (Abdullah Almutairi).

"A complaint has been lodged with the deputy police commissioner at the commissioner's office in Mangaluru. James was arrested, but the police could not retrive any information from him.

"At the end of January this year, HRPF contacted NRI Forum in Bengaluru and through them the Indian Embassy in Riyadh once again. This time, they could get the details of the Saudi employer, his address, among other details. When contacted, he asserted that he had obtained her services for working for two years in his bungalow for which he had already paid Saudi SAR 24,000 equivalent to Rs 5 lac to an Indian agent named Shabha Khan. She could be sent back only if the amount was refunded to him, the employer told us. It is not known who has pocketed this huge sum paid by the Saudi employer, whether Khan or James, but Jacintha has to suffer in the melee. At this stage, even the NRI Forum in Bengaluru expressed their helplessness in the matter.

"It is alleged that while Jacintha traveled with a few other people, her employer took her thumb impressions on documents after she was in an unconscious state after being hit on head.

"In 2006-07, a recruiting agency and monitory committee was set up, but is not working now. There is no particular recruiting agency in Mangaluru, Udupi and Calicut, and unfortunately most of the job aspirants are moving to Saudi Arabia. External affairs canceled the license of Trio Tracks Travels Consultants from Delhi for being involved in sending Jacintha to Saudi Arabia," he said.

"Jacintha’s life is in danger. The department concerned has to bring her back within a week. Her health might be deteriorating. Moreover, TB is a communicable disease. According to Jacintha, her employer has three wives and ten children. In their big bungalow, she was required to work for over 16 hours a day," he added.

"More than 10 agents are functioning without license (registration). According to Emigration Act 1983, every recruiting agency should be registered. According to Section 10 of the Act, law breakers should be prosecuted and Section 24 says, they should be sent to jail. But the police are backing out from arresting James by giving excuses," Shanbhag said.

  

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Comment on this article

  • santhu, Mumbai/Udupi

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    May God and Sushmaji..help Jacintha for safe return ..tuberculosis is danger if not medicated properly...!

    DisAgree Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • JL, mumbai

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Mangalore Catholic Sabha

    Dear Sirs,

    Your immediate intervention is needed to catch hold of culprit to support Mr. Ravindranath Shanbagh, president of Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF) in whatever help required to catchhold of culprits and set the poor woman free.

    Any monetary help pls advertise in Daiji we will definitely contribute. I have seen the pain these poor widows go through personally.

    DisAgree Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • jl, mumbai

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    If we catholics had helped this poor widow in time of her need she would not have faced such a situation in first place.

    We have SCC in our parish are they not supposed to help poor widows and senior citizens.

    I personally know a catholic widow who had to suffer a lot of difficulties when her childen were very small he r elder son just 5 years and younger son just born when her husband died and she had absolute no help from her relatives nor community members I came to know her situation much later. she is okay now but had to forego the happiness of seeing her kids grow and also the hardships they had to undergo.

    Shame on us catholics.

    Everyone just commenting but when help required missing.

    Urgent need to catch hold of the agents James and khan first.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • Peter, KSA

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    I agree with JL. Catholic community is selfish, trying to amass wealth neglecting unfortunate and downtrodden. Every Parish should try to help their needy members. Our Bishops should spare at least small amount from the income to help the needy of every Parish instead of storing wealth which is against Christian principles. I have been to some remote Parishes where our Priests live truly a tough life where as Priests in large parishes in city live a lavish life. Bishops should pay attention to the remote Parishes and the parish priests over there.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Harish, Kadaba

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Not only Catholic, all cast, religion people, if all well earners taking care of their society, there will be no poverty

    DisAgree Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Peter, KSA

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Full marks to you Mr. Harish for your comments !

    DisAgree Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jacob Mendonsa, Australia

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Harish & Peter, I totally agree with your valuable views. If all the Gold hoarded in the temples r removed & if it wisely used for the welfare of the poor people, & if our Catholic Priests r really concerned of our poor people in their Parishes & if they really think of helping them to come of out their miseries, India will be free of poverty within no time!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Report Abuse

  • FRANCIS, Dubai

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Harish, Kadaba,

    What a noble thought dear!
    I really appreciate your thoughful comments and joing hands for a worthy cause. If everyone thinks like you.....

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rob Stan, Udupi / US

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    It is possible that the owner has recruited one person where in reality the household chores need to be managed by more than one. He must be having more expectations since he has paid huge sum to the agent. There should be a transparent way for dealings between employer and the agent. The amount paid to the agents is almost equal to what Jacintha would get for 2 years of service. Now she has to suffer for the amount pocketed by the agents.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • zia, dubai

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    It is toatally false story i think and at saudi house maids are treated very rough and due to this she may want to return.Saudi owner has kept his promise by sending money to his family.In normal case they not even pay for housemaids for number of days.Instaed of making press conference the person should understand the real factor.It is wrong in alleging agent as he has done his part as per requirement.For saudi 90 days visa will be issued and after entering saudi they make permanent visa.It is impossible now to return without owner approval for exit permit in saudi.Now she has very seious problem after complaint and publicationat news paper owner may be angry as he has not done anything wrong as per saudi law.These peoples are misleaded without knowing facts.Now unless you pay saudi owner will not release her.Instead of making alegation it is better to pay the owner and release her from that country.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Anand, Karkala

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    I heard before stamping Visa in Gulf region, they have to go for Medical and if TB shows positive, they will not allow stamping. Visa is for Qatar and woman is in Saudi, some kind of twist in the story... May God save her from any kind of harassment...

    DisAgree Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Peter Lewis, Kalmady/Udupi

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Saudi Arabia or any other gulf nations Indian females should not allowed to go there. Muslim nation Pakistan not allowed their females to work as a domestic help.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • J.F.D SOUZA, Attavar, Mangaluru

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    The agents job is to mint money by hook or crook. He is not bothered anybody's welfare. They are cheating us.Though it is a fact and knowing all this, people try to go to Saudi and other places and they will experience these problems after going there. So those who want to go through agents beware of all these troubles.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • jOEL, mangalore

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    How did she get clearence if she had tuberculosis?She is taking care of small children who are vulnerable to TB. I hope she will be sent home soon.

    DisAgree Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Cynthia, Moodbidri

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Why these agents harming a widow lady like this? God save this poor lady.

    DisAgree Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • ABDUL RAFIQ, Uchila

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Most of the countries stopped sending Housemaids to Saudi Arabia. Indian govt also should not allow.

    DisAgree Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jimmy Noronha, Bellore/Lucknow.

    Wed, Apr 05 2017

    The agent has done a great injustice to the family of Jacintha who should be allowed to return immediately and some help rendered to get proper treatment. Action must be taken against the agent for sending her to the gulf, and surely he must have got his cut.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • ramesh, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 05 2017

    I dont know how this could have happenned?she offered job at qatar and landed at saudi.Itmay not be correct as visa stamping should be done at india and medical to be carried out before visa stamping.Atmedical it was clearly asked for which countrymedical to be carried out?For qatar there is no medical.May be due to over excitement everything is negleted then also during airport officer clearly ask for which country she would be bound for by imigration officer.In saudi also before entering immigration officer will scan your finger and eye before entering.There is some doubyt in thier story.May we can say by harrasement by present employer at saudi(its common for maids at saudi) which lead to moveout of that country.It is impossible to moveout unless saudi owner gives clear instruction for exit permit.In saudi it is impossible without owner concent.Now she is trapped and very difficult for her as due her complaint now torure will increase.I pray to god tosave her

    DisAgree Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Langoolacharya., Belman/Wash DC.

    Wed, Apr 05 2017

    People,

    Indians should not be allowed to go to Saudi Arabia on 'House Maid' visa's....things are very bad there...

    Now Jacintha is already there, Sushma Swaraj is right person to help her through Indian Embassy, in Saudi Arabia...Nalin or Shobhakka could put her case with Sushma in a strong way...

    I hope and pray she will come back soon for the sake of her children...

    ...JH...

    DisAgree [4] Agree [37] Reply Report Abuse

  • mohammed, Mangalore/Saudi Arabia

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    earlier Vajpayee govt had banned Indians from working as Housemaids, house helps, farm laborers and domestic staffs with exception to House drivers , UPA cancelled the ban in their last few months in power.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mohandas Kumar, Kanekarabettu,Mangalore

    Thu, Apr 06 2017

    Travelling to Gulf countries on Employment visa, House maids require Emigration from Passport office in India. How Emigration staff at Airport in India allowed her to travel without Emigration clearance from Passport office. Emigration clearance for Housemaids Employment Agreement require from Saudi Sponsor attested by India Embassy in Riyadh, Jeddah or Damam.
    Of course Agent and Emigration staff at Indian Airport understanding she has cleared her Emigration.
    so no question blaming UPA Govt.

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • ElwynGoveas, Valencia

    Wed, Apr 05 2017

    Really heart touching.Humanity is lacking in our heart and that should be shoking.

    DisAgree Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse


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