Hyderabad woman who was jailed in Saudi for 9 months, returns home

The woman had run away from her 'Kafeel' or sponsor, due to alleged torture.

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A Hyderabad woman who was working as a 'Khadma' or housemaid in the Kingdon of Saudi Arabia (KSA) returned to her hometown on Thursday, after she was rescued by the Indian Embassy.

The woman, identified as Tanveer Fatima from Moin Bagh in Hyderabad, spent nine months in Faisaliya Central Jail in Dammam.

Amjedullah Khan from the Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), who aided her family members in alerting the concerned authorities, said that the woman had run away from her 'Kafeel' or sponsor, due to alleged torture.

She sought shelter with the Saudi police, but was allegedly jailed on a false case instead, that accused her of stealing gold and money from her sponsor's house.

Fatima has two children and aged parents, and had moved to Saudi, so that she could send some money back home.

Once they were notified, social workers and officials from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh visited Fatima several times, and even tried to contact the sponsor, to withdraw the case.

However, after a lot of effort, Amjed Ullah Khan said that Fatima was let go, and send back to India.

This is far from the first such case in Saudi, where such stories are a regular occurrence.

In May this year, after months of misery and torture, 46-year-old Haseena Begum from Hyderabad was finally reunited with her family.

Haseena was stuck in Dammam of Saudi Arabia after being allegedly tortured by her employer.

Haseena had gone to Saudi in October 2016 in hopes of a better future for herself and her family. She had worked for two months as a housemaid where she allegedly faced continuous harassment. She also fractured both her legs when her employer reportedly pushed her off the third floor of the building.

Haseena’s plight was brought to the attention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after she posted a video appeal on social media.

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