Calling it a case of human trafficking, the mother of 25-year-old Asima Khatoon demanded action against agents who are conning people by promising jobs to young women and leaving them to their fate once they get their money. Asima Khatoon, a resident of Dabeerpura in the Old City, died in Saudi Arabia on Thursday while undergoing treatment for Tuberculosis, according to the Ministry of External Affairs, but the family is citing torture as the reason for the young woman’s death.
Asima, a resident of Shah Colony in Dabeerpura, had left for Riyadh in December last year on a ‘house maid’ visa procured through an agent. Apparently, the family members were unaware that the woman was sent on a visit visa by the agent and provided employment at the house of Abdul Rahman Ali Mohammed in Riyadh.
“In April last, Asima called us and complained that she was being tortured and harassed by the employer’s family as result of which she fell ill and died. They kept her locked up and opened the door in the evening,” her mother Ghousia Khatoon told The Hindu.
The family members were informed about the death on Thursday; days after the Chief Secretary of Telangana made a request to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to rescue her from the clutches of her employer and send her back to Hyderabad.
Vikas Swarup, spokesperson Ministry of External Affairs had stated that one of their officials had visited the King Saud Chest Disease Hospital in Riyadh where the woman was admitted and on enquiry it was learnt that she died of natural causes.
Ghousia Begum explained that two months ago, the family had in fact approached Rein Bazaar Police and filed a complaint demanding action against the travel agent Muskaan who had duped their daughter and wanted him to arrange to her return to the country.
“Now, the government should help us in bringing back the body so that we can perform the burial here,” Ghousia sobbed.
Social activist Jameela Nishath of Shaheen Women’s Resource and Welfare Association said that she would be staging a demonstration near Charminar Bus stand on Wednesday to highlight the ‘torture and harassment’ being meted out to housemaids from the city who are working in Gulf countries.
