Mangaluru, May 24: The two youths from Mangaluru taluk, who were languishing in a sheep farm in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for past five months, have been finally freed. They are expected to fly back to India soon as the Saudi labour department officials formally intervened and handed over their passports that were confiscated by their visa sponsor, back to them.
Damodar Shettigar (31), a resident of Gandhinagar in Ganjimat, and Puneeth Jayaraj (25), a resident of Mulki left for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in December last year to work as auto spray painters. However, it was only after they reached the country that the duo realized that they would be asked to look after a sheep farm. Since then they have been taking care of sheep in an isolated farm in the Arab country.
The issue came to light only after the duo broke their silence contacted their friends and media persons through WhatsApp. They also filed a complaint with the Indian embassy through MADAD, an online consular grievances management system of the Ministry of External Affairs on April 4.
Meanwhile, activists of Indian Social Forum (ISF), an NRI organisation in Saudi Arabia, also extended all possible support and assistance to the stranded duo. Speaking to coastaldigest.com the duo thanked ISF activists for their efforts. “Labour authorities have now intervened and returned our passports. We thank ISF too for their selfless support,” said Puneeth.
Damodar said that both he and Puneeth had paid Rs 78,000 each to the agent to obtain visas and for other expenses. "We told the agent that we were not given the job that was promised when we applied for the visa. The agencies kept promising us that we would be shifted to a workshop soon. On the other hand sponsor had seized our passports" recalled Damodar.
He said that ISF members took them to labour officials in Saudi Arabia. “The officials listened to our grievances and offered help for our return to India. We are grateful to ISF as they followed up the issue till the end. Now, all the official procedures have been cleared through the labour court. We have also got the exit permit. ISF members have promised to book flight tickets too,” he said.
Meanwhile, a group of ISF activists, on Tuesday paid a visit to Puneeth’s house in Mulki to extend moral support to his family members. The family members, who were in distress for past five months, breathed a sigh of relief after the ISF members convinced them that Puneeth will return home soon.
Also Read: Duped by agency, 2 Mangaluru youths languish in Saudi sheep farm; seek MEA help
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