19 youths treated as bonded labourers in Kuwait rescued by Indian embassy
They had all went to Kuwait in the year 2022 trusting private travel agency which advertised job opportunity for youngsters in Kuwait with a free stay
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CHENNAI: As many as 19 youngsters from Tamilnadu who were treated as bonded labourers in Kuwait were rescued by the Indian embassy and they reached the Chennai airport on Thursday.
They had all went to Kuwait in the year 2022 trusting private travel agency in Chennai which advertised job opportunity for youngsters in Kuwait with a free stay.
The travel agency selected 19 youngsters and they were asked to pay up to Rs 1 lakh for the tickets and other expenses. In May last year, all of them were sent to Kuwait for work.
Initially, it was said that they would be getting Rs 60,000 salary per month with free accommodation and food but after joining the work all of them were paid only Rs 18,000 and they were also charged for food and stay and were also asked to work for more hours.
Soon the youngsters asked the agency to send them back to India but for that, they reportedly asked to pay Rs 60,000 to break the bond and return to India.
Unable to pay the money the youngsters who were helpless were continuing to work in Kuwait. In June this year, the agency informed that their visa has to be renewed and said that everyone should pay Rs 1.25 lakh for visa renewal.
The youngsters told the agents they did not have that much money and requested to send them back to India without renewing their visas and then all 19 of them stopped going the work.
Following that the agents disconnected the power supply to their rooms and also stopped providing them with food.
Later the youngsters managed to contact the Indian embassy in Kuwait and sought their help meanwhile the families of the youngsters also requested the Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin to take steps to rescue the youngsters and bring them back to India.
Later all 19 of them were rescued by the Indian Embassy a few days ago and on Thursday they reached the Chennai airport on an Air India flight.
The youngsters were welcomed by Minister K. S. Masthan in the Chennai airport and the government officials arranged transport for their native from Chennai.