PHAGWARA: Through the efforts of Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, five women from Punjab who were trapped in Oman have been safely brought back to India. One of the victims, a resident of Jalandhar district, reached Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi and shared her painful ordeal with the media.
The victim stated that without Sant Seechewal’s timely intervention, her safe return would not have been possible. Notably, her family approached Sant Seechewal on December 16, 2025, after which he immediately raised the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). As a result of these efforts, the victim was repatriated within just 14 days.
She informed that she returned to India on December 30 along with four other women. Sant Seechewal had earlier written to the MEA regarding nearly 70 Indian women trapped in Oman, seeking their safe return.
According to the victim, she was sent abroad in September under the pretext of employment. However, upon reaching Oman, she discovered that she had been sold for 1, 200 Omani riyals. Shockingly, she revealed that the person responsible for trapping her was none other than her own aunt, who abandoned her in Oman and returned to India.
She described the four months spent in Oman as the most terrifying period of her life. She was subjected to continuous pressure to perform immoral acts and was beaten and abused whenever she resisted. When she expressed her desire to return to India, she was told that she would only be allowed to leave if she paid ₹2 lakh or call two other girls from India in her place.
The victim further stated that she worked as a domestic help for nearly two months, but when she realized that her dignity and safety were under serious threat, she managed to escape and reach a secure location. There, she found around 70 other Indian women trapped under similar circumstances.
She revealed that in the Muscat region of Oman, young women are lured under the guise of domestic work and then subjected to physical exploitation. They are shown dreams of prosperity, but the reality after arrival is completely different. Resistance often results in denial of food, physical assault, and constant threats.
Appealing to young women and their families, the victim urged them to be extremely cautious of false promises related to overseas employment, warning that under current conditions, Oman is not safe for young women.
Letter to MEA Regarding 70 Women Trapped in Oman
Speaking to the media, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said that the exploitation of Indian women in Arab countries is a serious and deeply concerning issue. He informed that he had recently written to the Ministry of External Affairs regarding approximately 70 Indian women trapped in Oman, following which swift action was taken and five women were safely repatriated. He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy, and emphasized that strict action must be taken against human trafficking networks, so that no other daughter falls victim to such criminal traps in the future.