18 Indian nationals rescued from Libya, land safely in New Delhi

Ravi Singh

18 Indian nationals stranded in Benghazi, Libya for several weeks have been brought back safely to India. The group arrived at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on Wednesday morning on a Turkish Airlines flight.

The trouble started when these workers, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were lured to Libya through fake recruitment agents. A contractor allegedly operating from Dubai had promised them lucrative job opportunities. The workers did not have visas, they only landed in Libya, where they were recruited under false pretenses as employees of a Libyan cement company in Benghazi.

According to officials aware of the matter, the workers’ trouble started when they got into an argument with the contractor over their pending wages. The workers then claimed that they were mistreated and their due payments were withheld, following which retaliatory action was taken against them. There were also reports that they were assaulted and kept in prison-like conditions. The Indian Embassy in Libya acted immediately to arrange for the return of the stranded nationals.

The Embassy used an exit permit mechanism to ensure their release. Though it took some time, the Embassy provided them with food, shelter and other basic needs during their stay at the Embassy. Indian diplomats collaborated with Libyan authorities to ensure the safe return of the workers. “Since they did not have any visas, we arranged to free them using the exit permit mechanism,” the official confirmed. “Throughout this process, the Libyan authorities helped us; during their stay in Libya, their basic needs were provided for by our Embassy. Finally, the workers returned to India, bringing an end to their horrific experience. Their safe return highlights the continuing dangers that exist for migrant workers seeking better opportunities abroad and highlights the importance of diplomatic efforts in rescuing nationals in distress.

The Government of India has repeatedly urged its citizens to exercise caution when dealing with recruitment agencies abroad and ensure that they are not being misled into illegal or dangerous work situations.”