18-yr-old Vasai girl rescued from Dubai

Ram Parmar

PALGHAR : An 18-year-old Vasai girl has been rescued from Dubai and brought back to India within three days of her mother filing an application with the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar (MBVV) Commissionerate seeking her return.

The girl’s mother filed an application with Sadanand Date, the commissioner of police, on June 2 and secured her return by June 5.

According to police sub-inspector (PSI) Sheetal Shinde, the officer overseeing the case, the girl had flown to Dubai in April on a three-month tourist visa after her neighbours in Vasai offered her a job as a governess and maid for their Dubai house on a year’s contract.

The police further said that after she reached Dubai, she was allegedly not allowed to talk to her mother until and unless she was on conference mode with her employers. Sometimes, they would even eavesdrop on her conversations. Finally, she was not allowed to call her mother anymore. Worried after not receiving a call from her for three weeks, the mother filed a complaint.

The MBVV sought help from the Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and under the supervision of diplomat Sanjay Sudhir the rescue operations started. A team from the Embassy reached the employers’ house and rescued the girl.

“The employer was unwilling to send the girl back. She was claiming that they have a contract for a year. That is when the officials stepped in and rescued her. She came back to Mumbai on June 5,” said Shinde.

The PSI further said that the girl is currently not in the right state of mind and is undergoing counselling. “After she is better, she might file a case against her employers,” she added.