After 3-year-long ordeal in Saudi Arabia, duped woman from Karnataka returns home finally

coastaldigest.com news network
July 24, 2021

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After around three months of consistent efforts, Mrs Sabiha, one of the two distressed women from Karnataka who were tortured by their sponsor for a prolonged period, finally touched down in India on Thursday July 22. She originally hails from Tumakuru district of Karnataka.

Mrs Sabiha boarded the flight on Thursday at Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport bound to Cochin International Airport at 8am (IST:10.30am) after her one month's stay under the shelter of Consulate General of India-Jeddah, she reached her hometown safely on July 23 before noon. 

All the legal formalities were completed about 10 days ago at Jawazaath in Jeddah Semaishi. However, due to the ticket issue that was supposed to be provided by the CGI Jeddah under ICWF provision, her departure was bit delayed. Even in the end, after repeated requests, she was not provided with the ticket by the CGI Jeddah putting the burden on the woman, who was already in the tight spot and penniless due to her sponsor's harassment and duping. Even after the persistent requests, the CGI had denied the ticket for her. 

Meanwhile, a businessman and philanthropist Mr Mustaq Ahmed Bengaluru in Jubail came forward voluntarily to sponsor the flight ticket for her after knowing her distressed and helpless situation.

The earliest flight directly to India (Cochin) from Jeddah was on July 22, so the ticket was sponsored to book the flight on the date to fly to Cochin.

At last, Sabiha reached her destination and breathed a sigh of relief after going through pains meted out against her by her sponsor, Saad Rahil Mukhlef Al-Anaizi based in Al Qurayath, northern part of Saudi Arabia, bordering to Jordan. 

Sabiha arrived in the KSA three years ago in 2018 on visit visa arranged by agents in Bengaluru and Mumbai under the sponsorship of Saad Al-Anaizi whom the agents know very well. She didn't know even the status of her visa as a visit (for 90 days), which doesn't allow her to work in the KSA as per the visit visa rule. Either it should have been renewed for a further period of time or visitor should have left the country before the visa expiry. But, either of the processes were not done by the sponsor and she was forced to work as a housemaid at his house. 

She faced her first problem from her Sponsor when she was sent to another family's house to work as a housemaid. She was hesitant to go there, but she was compelled to do so. After sometimes, she came back to her sponsor's house, where she continued to work helplessly even after the passing of 2years.

Due to this, she had to face severe tortures at his hands, she was neither allowed to go to India nor go outside of the sponsor's confined home despite of her repeated & consistent requests nor given salaries for about 9 months. 

She contacted Riyadh-based pro bono lawyer and social worker Adv. P.A. Hameed Padubidri for help through Mrs. Fairoza Banu, who was another woman, who was victimized by the same sponsor for the help. 

Firstly, Adv. P.A.Hameed tried to resolve the case through mutual talks with the sponsor, but it failed. He then took up the case with the Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC) in AlJouf branch & Ministry of External Affairs, Delhi & the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. 

By taking up the case immediately on the list in May, 2021, the HRC contacted Adv. Padubidri to gather more details & background of the case. The HRC then forwarded the complaint to the concerned authorities  including police station in AlQurayath.The Embassy also involved based on the complaint & trailing communique of the MoEA, Delhi. 

With the intervention of all these agencies including Jawazaath (Directorate of Passport Dept), her sponsor agreed to send her together with Mrs. Fairoza Banu Dawanagere to India. He was also fined heavily for violating the visa rule of the KSA. 

First he sent Fairoza Banu to India via Riyadh-Qatar-Bengaluru in June 22, with valid flight tickets, passport & final exit paper & she reached Bengaluru KG Intl.Airport last month without much difficulties. 

However, Sabiha was duped by her sponsor sending her to Jeddah Intl. Airport with invalid dummy ticket that too without final exit document after getting her signature in the bus station at AlQurayath as if she had received all outstanding salaries & no dues from him although it's unpaid.  

When she reached the Jeddah airport, she came to know that she was mercilessly cheated by him. Finally, she landed at seeking the help of Indian Consulate (CGI) in Jeddah & remained there under the shelter of the CGI for one month until all the legal processes were facilitated by the authorities & she reached Jeddah airport on 22/07/2021 at 4am (Saudi time) to board the flight to India at 8am. 

She reached Cochin Airport on Thursday at 5.30 pm (IST) & she touched down her home place in Tumakuru, around 80 kms away from Bengaluru & now she joined with her family. 

With this, now both the ladies reached their respective home places in Karnataka with the great efforts of Adv. Padubidri with the supports of other two social workers in the KSA.

Adv. Padubidri expressed his immense amounts of thanks to AlQurayath- based social worker, Saleem Kodangalluru- Kerala, Dammam-based Social worker & senior resident, Yaseen Gulbarga for their very supports & constant cooperations since the day one. 

Adv. Padubidri also expressed his thanks to Mr. Mustaq Ahmed Bengaluru, who voluntarily offered the flight ticket for Sabiha, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Mysore in Jeddah, Sirajuddeen TN Jeddah, Fazal Makkah, Mr. Majeed B.K.Riyadh, Yasser Ahmed Mulky Riyadh, Farook Manipal Jeddah & others, who supported in his endeavour to facilitate the return of distressed woman.

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Adv. P.A. Hameed Padubidri 

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Taher Ansar Khan
 - 
Saturday, 24 Jul 2021

Lots of respect to all who helped to woman reach her home... especially Mushtaq Ahmed Bangalore who sponsored free ticket to the woman...lots of respect and big salute musthaq Ahmed

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News Network
December 3,2025

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IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is battling one of its worst operational disruptions in recent years, with hundreds of delays and cancellations throwing domestic travel into chaos.

Government data on Tuesday showed its on-time performance plunging to 35%, an unusual dip for a carrier long associated with punctuality.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had collectively reported close to 200 cancellations, stranding travellers across the country.

Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms

A major trigger behind the meltdown is a severe crew shortage, especially among pilots, following the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month.

The rules mandate longer rest hours and more humane rosters — a shift IndiGo has struggled to incorporate across its vast network.

Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while some delays stretched upwards of eight hours.

With IndiGo controlling over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, the ripple effect has impacted airports nationwide.

IndiGo Issues Apology, Lists “Compounding Factors”

In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the large-scale disruption:

“We sincerely apologise to customers. A series of unforeseen operational challenges — technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, system congestion and updated FDTL norms — created a compounding impact that could not have been anticipated.”

To stabilise operations, the airline has begun calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours, aiming to restore punctuality. Affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements, IndiGo said.

What the FDTL Rules Require

The FDTL norms, designed to reduce pilot fatigue, cap duty and flying hours as follows:
•    Maximum 8 hours of flying per day
•    35 hours per week
•    125 hours per month
•    1,000 hours per year

Crew must also receive rest equalling twice the flight duration, with a minimum 10-hour rest period in any 24-hour window.

The DGCA introduced these limits to enhance flight safety.

Hyderabad: 33 Flights Cancelled, Long Queues Reported

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw heavy early-morning crowds as 33 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) were cancelled.

The airport clarified on X that operations were normal, advising passengers to contact IndiGo directly for latest flight status.

Cancellations included flights to and from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.

Bengaluru: 42 Flights Disrupted

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 42 cancellations — 22 arrivals and 20 departures — affecting routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Passengers Vent on Social Media

Irate travellers took to X to share their experiences. One passenger stranded in Hyderabad wrote: “I have been here since 3 a.m. and missed an important meeting.”

Another said: “My flight was pushed from 1:55 PM to 2:55 PM and now 4:35 PM. I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport.”

Delhi Airport Hit by Tech Glitch

At Delhi Airport, the disruption deepened due to a slowdown in the Amadeus system — used for reservations, check-ins and departure control.

The technical issue led to longer queues and sluggish processing, adding to delays already worsened by staff shortages.

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Media Release
November 24,2025

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Sharjah, UAE: Ayisha Basheer Esra, a talented young writer hailing from Aramboor in Dakshina Kannada’s Sullia taluk, marked a significant milestone in her burgeoning literary career with the launch of her debut novel, The Betrayal of the Kingdom, at the Sharjah International Book Fair. The prestigious event, recognized as the world’s largest book fair, provided a fitting stage for the unveiling of Esra’s work.

The official release ceremony was conducted by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director of the Religious Affairs Office of the Sharjah Government and a distinguished member of the royal family, underscoring the significance of Esra’s achievement. Mrs. Lini Shivaprasad, Principal of GEMS Millennium School, Sharjah, had the honor of receiving the first copy of the novel.

The event was graced by the presence of numerous distinguished guests, reflecting the widespread recognition of Esra’s literary talent and the anticipation surrounding her debut novel. Among the notable attendees were Syed Panakkad Munawwarali Shihab Tangal, Dr. Mariam Al Shenasi, the UAE’s renowned writer and Head of Dar Al Yasmin Publications, Dr. K. K. N. Kurup, Retired Vice Chancellor of Calicut University and Historian, Sharjah Businessman Shamsuddin Bin Mohideen, Nizar Talangara, President of the Sharjah Indian Association, V. T Salim, Director of Silver Home Real Estate, Munir Al Wafa, MD of Lipi Publication Akbar, and other esteemed individuals.

At the remarkably young age of eight, Esra has already established herself as a prolific writer, authoring and publishing collections of short stories in addition to her newly released full-length novel. Her dedication to writing and her exceptional talent have positioned her as one of the youngest authors to achieve such literary success. 

Esra is the daughter of Basheer and Haseena, residents of Aramboor, Sullia, and currently a student at Sharjah’s GEMS Millennium School. Her early accomplishments serve as an inspiration to aspiring young writers and a testament to the power of nurturing creativity from a young age.

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News Network
November 21,2025

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Udupi: The Malpe Police have arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sharing classified information related to Indian Navy vessels with individuals in Pakistan, posing a serious threat to national security.

According to a complaint filed by the CEO of Udupi Cochin Shipyard, Malpe—an institution under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways—the prime accused, Rohit (29), was working as an insulator through subcontractor M/S Shushma Marine Pvt Ltd. He had earlier served at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala, where naval ships are under construction.

Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said the accused had unlawfully shared, via WhatsApp, confidential identification numbers of Navy-related ships and other classified details while working in Kerala, allegedly for illegal gains.

After joining the Malpe shipyard unit, Rohit reportedly continued collecting sensitive information through a friend in Kochi and circulated it to unauthorised individuals, violating national security protocols and potentially endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.

Based on the complaint, Malpe Police registered a case under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

A police team led by Karkala Subdivision Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada—along with PSI Anil Kumar D, ASI Harish, and PC Ravi Jadhav—conducted the investigation and arrested the two accused, identified as Rohit (29) and Santri (37), both residents of Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh.

The duo was produced before the court, which remanded them in judicial custody till December 3. Further investigation is in progress.

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