A group of eight Indian blue-collar workers were left stranded in the United Arab Emirates without jobs after they were reportedly cheated by an agent. The workers cannot look for new jobs or return to India as they don’t have their passports with them. As a result, the workers are now staying at a labour accommodation.
When the Indian Consulate in Dubai came to know about them, the mission enlisted the services of some social workers.
Raijullah Devan, one of the workers said that an agent brought them to the UAE after promising them jobs. He also mentioned that he paid Rs 30,000 ( 1,500 Dirham) for the same.
“We are stranded here with no food, no work and no money.
Kiran, a social worker, first spotted him on a street. Soon after, he sought assistance from consulate officials who in return requested another social worker named Hidayath Adoor to help them out.
“Hidayath offered us accommodation,” said Raijullah. “He also provided us with food and other basic essentials.”
Hidayath told Khaleej Times that the workers were deceived by the agent who had promised them jobs.
The group of 8 workers arrived in the UAE on March 5 and lived at some place for about a month. The workers later learnt that their agent had not submitted their passports to the company that was supposed to hire them.
“The workers came and lived here for around two weeks,” stated a representative from the company. “We were ready to hire them, but their passports were not provided to us.”
Social workers aiding the workers said some firms want to hire the workers but cannot recruit them in the absence of passports. “The workers desperately need their passports as some other companies are willing to recruit them,” Hidayath said.
