Udupi: Inhuman Exploitation - Woman Toils for Seven Years Without Pay!

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 10: The Israeli government has rescued a woman from Udupi district, who was forced to work without any pay for seven years in that country by an individual there. She has been sent back home.

‘Odanadi’, a Mysore-based organization, which was contacted by the Israeli authorities, helped her to reunite with her family. She reached Bangalore from Israel on Thursday, and was produced before the media on Friday.

Reshma with her brother

Reshma (name changed) the 27-year-old who used to work in the house of a Pakistani in Israel. Her job was to look after the Pakistani’s mother. After completing SSLC, she had left for Israel in 2005 from Udupi by securing the said job with the help of a woman she knew. Her salary was fixed at $550 a month. The woman is said to have accompanied the girl to Israel, stayed there for two months, before going back with the money she collected from the employer.

The passport of the lady was seized and kept by the employer with him. When she wanted to go back home, he insisted that she can return only if she provides a replacement for her. The lady, who speaks Konkani and Tulu, said her family had tried to get her back, and a church head in Udupi district had got in touch with Israeli authorities. When the Israeli authorities visited the house where she worked, the owner of the house tried to misguide them. However, they found out through their investigation that he had seized the Reshma’s passport and did not pay her any salary. They then took her to the Women’s Observation Home, and kept here there. They conducted an inquiry during this period. She was there for about three years, before the Israeli police, who found that the employer was guilty, compelled him to pay up $ 43,000 to the lady, before sending her off to India with help from ‘Odanadi’.

Reshma said she is too happy to come back to her country. Her brother received her, and said, he will look after his sister well. She said she is very much relieved, and is eager to unite with her parents and siblings. She plans to start working again, once she gets over the present emotional period.

Parashuram, director, ‘Odanadi’, expressed concern about the huge human trafficking racket  functioning in India, because of which thousands of youth leave the country in search of greener pastures, and then get trapped after losing their passports. He remarked that this lady was lucky to have survived the ordeal and come back with money.