Captive Punjabi woman in Saudi Arabia: Sushma Swaraj acts after Mann’s appeal
SANGRUR: Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has directed the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to save a Punjabi woman who was seen crying for help in a video on social media recently.
Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann’s had drawn Swaraj’s attention to the video in which around 25-year-old woman claims she has been kept in a locked room and has not eaten anything for several days. She appeals to Mann to bring her back to Punjab.
The victim says she has been held captive by two men, but has neither identified her captors nor given any details about them.
The victim has now been identified as Reena Rani, a resident of Boparai village in Jalandhar, who was married in Hoshiarpur district.
In the video, she says, “I came here (Saudi Arabia) to earn some money but am living in miserable conditions. Though I approached the local police, the cops did not help me. I am stuck at Dawadmi city”
Observing that Mann has been helping Punjabis living in other countries in the past, she urges him to help her as well.
On Tuesday, Mann uploaded her video on his Facebook page and sought her contact number or address or passport details from his fans and friends in Punjab and abroad.
“I got her passport number last night and sent it to Sushma Swaraj immediately. In a Tweet, Swaraj asked the Indian embassy to help the woman in distress. She will be brought to Punjab soon,” Mann told HT on Wednesday.
In her tweet, Swaraj asked the Indian embassy to “reach her at the earliest.”
“When I put this video on social media, a large number of people came forward from across the world to help her. But I appeal to all Punjabis if they want to go in these countries, they should first enquire about their working conditions and other necessary things.” Mann advised people in a live Facebook address.
THE UNION MINISTER HAS DIRECTED THE INDIAN EMBASSY TO SAVE THE VICTIM, WHO HAS BEEN KEPT IN LOCKED ROOM; THE VICTIM WAS SEEN CRYING FOR HELP IN VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA