Mumbai Crime: Nurse lured to Saudi Arabia ends up as slave

How many stories have you heard about women being tricked into domestic servitude abroad after being promised lucrative opportunities by recruitment agents? Add the story of 28-year-old health care professional Rehana (name changed) to that list, who earlier this month was lured in with a 1000-riyals-a-month offer that seemed too good to pass up on. Instead, she ended up as domestic help for a Saudi family in Rafha, expected to work 17 hours a day and subjected to "physical and mental abuse".

Financial respite

The ordeal came to light when Rehana's younger sister received an SOS call on October 6. "Two recruitment agents, Jamil Akhtar and Firoze offered her a nursing job with a decent salary. As my sister is raising two young children and facing financial trouble, she took it up. They then got her a three-month visa to Dubai and she flew out on October 4." However, when Rehana reached Rahfa, she was put to work as a maid. Sensing trouble, she rang up her



sister, but fearing being recorded, she narrated her circumstances in Marathi. The next day, she contacted again and complained that on refusing, she was physically assaulted — to the extent that she had rectal bleeding.

"On October 8, when I shared her ordeal, the agents blamed the hot Saudi climate," she said, adding, "Jamil also told us that if we want Rehana back, we have to cough up Rs 2 lakh or provide 10 other maids." Rehana has not called again since. Rehana's sister then approached social activist Aaftab Siddique, who helped the family lodge a FIR with DN Nagar Police station.

Police says

PI (crime) Paliwant Deshmukh said a FIR has been registered, adding, "We have arrested Jamil and he has been remanded to police custody. We have also approached Protector Of Emigrants to verify the authenticity of the visa and contacted the family in Saudi Arabia, who deny causing any harm. We will get a clearer picture after she is back, which could be soon."