Nizamabad: As many as 15 youths, native of the integrated Nizamabad district, are stuck in Erbil of Iraq for the last few days. They were reportedly cheated by travel agents who offered them employment in Iraq. Unable to pay penalties to the Iraqi authorities and without flight charges to return home, they have been taking shelter in undisclosed places.
They went to Iraq last September for employment, paying Rs 1.80 lakh each to Gulf agents. They realised that they were cheated by agents who provided them visit visas instead of employment visas while landing in Iraq. They tried to get temporary employment in Iraq in vain.
They have no money to survive in Iraq or return to India. To avoid imprisonment, they have been taking shelter in undisclosed places in the Erbil area in Iraq.
They urged the central and Telangana state governments to help them reach home. This was revealed in a WhatsApp message sent to this newspaper on Wednesday.
Mr Krishnakar, one of the victims, said that they were suffering due to lack of food and shelter in Iraq. “We are in a pathetic condition. Uni-on minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj should initiate steps to rescue Telangana youths in Iraq. Initially, agents confidently assu-red us of employment in Iraq. Now they are not responding to our phone calls,” he said.
Gulf workers’ rights activist P. Basanth Reddy said that a team of Telugu youths will reach the victims in Iraq to help them. The Centre and the state government should respond to the migrants’ issue. Mr Basanth Reddy demanded stringent action on the agents for cheating the youths.
