Media Release
Al-Jubail, Nov 6: A young man hailing from Moodbidri, Mangaluru working in a desert here in Saudi Arabia who was being conned by a travel agent returned home safe on November 3 thanks to the timely help from Indian Social Forum (ISF) eastern province team.
Nagaraj flew to Saudi Arabia a few months ago on being selected at a job interview conducted at Rolex Tours and Travels agents in Mangaluru who promised him a job as an industrial electrician at a company in Jubail. He paid certain amount of money to the travel agent Rolex Tours and Travels.
On landing at Saudi Arabia, he was forced to work as an assistant in a farm in the desert in Al-Jubail with no proper food and accommodation, yet his sponsor company denied the fact that an visa for an electrician's post was issued to him. At home, the travel agent demanded SR 9,000.00 (Rs 175,000) to bring him back when Nagaraj’s brother approached him to get the issue sorted out. Later, Nagaraj’s brother paid Rs 100,000 to the travel agent and received no response for about one month.
After months of ordeal, Nagaraj’s brother approached Indian Social Forum member Hasan Kinnigoli to help in this regard. Indian Social Forum has been helping stranded Indians in Saudi Arabia in association with Indian Embassy. A team of Jubail ISF comprising Hasan Kinnigoli, Imthiyaz Bajpe, Kaiser Kannangar, Ashraf Ullal and Naushad Katipalla constantly met Nagaraj in the desert and assured him safe return home. ISF team constantly followed up with the sponsor company and convinced the management about his situation and ordeal however, finally ISF was successful in getting the exit Visa and his pending salary from the company. Meanwhile, ISF was also successful in making the travel agent to pay back the money taken from Nagaraj and his family.
Nagaraj’s family appreciates ISF support
Nagaraj’s brother Sukumar appreciated the selfless service and his mother Gangavati said she is grateful to Indian Social Forum and the team members for extending their relentless support during the most distressful time.
Indian Social Forum requests job aspirant to vet before travel
There are several instances occurring in the recent past where the candidates are being duped by verbal promises from travel agents, hence Indian Social Forum requests all the job aspirant who travel to Saudi Arabia to vet the information provided by the travel agents before falling prey.