Hyderabad: The ordeal of eight Telangana youth in Kuwait, who were duped by travel agents and lived a miserable life with no food or accommodation for four months, ended when they returned to India on Thursday.
The returnees were identified as Gunda Prashanth of Nallavelli in Indalwai mandal, Medugu Sekhar of Sirikonda, Sangam Jayanand of Hussainnagar in Sirikonda mandal, Idla Jitesh of Padakal village in Jakranpally mandal, Chandi Sai Kumar of Ramannapet in Velpur mandal, Edapala Ganesh, Ollem Srinivas of Armoor and Jarugu Sekhar of Tirmanpally in Indalwai mandal of Nizamabad district.
Edapala Ganesh of Armoor told Deccan Chronicle that travel agents promised to provide jobs in hotels in Kuwait. "Each of us paid Rs 1.8 lakh in two installments. However, we were forced to work in the garden and construction sector in harsh desert climate. There was no proper food or accommodation," he lamented.
He explained that there were no holidays and that they were made to work from 5.30 am to 8 pm. “We tried to approach the Indian embassy in Kuwait, but in vain,” he said.
Chandi Sai Kumar said travel agents promised him a job as a storekeeper in Kuwait, but instead hired him as a labourer. "We realised we had been duped by the agents and planned to return home. We arrived in India safely thanks to the efforts of Gulf workers welfare association leaders Gangula Muralidhar Reddy and Kotapati Narasimha Naidu,” he said.
The youth from Telangana pleaded with their employers in Kuwait for their return to India, but in vain. Finally, they sent video clips of their misery in Kuwait to Gulf Migrants Welfare Association president Kotapati Narasimha Naidu. Naidu responded quickly and alerted his counterpart Gangula Muralidhar Reddy in Kuwait to help rescue them.
Telangana NRI cell officer Chitti Babu and the Indian embassy took steps to ensure their safe return. On their arrival at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Thursday, Kotapati Narasimha Naidu received them and sent them to their native places in RTC buses.
