Two Indians slaving it out on Saudi camel farm

Two Indian workers promised construction work in Saudi Arabia but sold as slaves to a camel farm owner are languishing without food in the desert there.

A Muniasamy (45), hailing from Ramanathapuram district and 44-year-old Jagabir Ali from Nagapattinam district have been stuck on a camel farm for the past three months with an expired visa.

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"They are also being tortured, with no medication for their wounds. The farm is located in a remote place with the sea on one side and the desert on the other. The nearest market is around 50 km away from the farm," said G Subramanian, executive director of Manitham, a human rights organisation.

Manitham has taken up the issue of the two Indians with the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Prabhavathi, Muniasamy's wife said in a choking voice, "I spoke to my husband a couple of days back. We came to know that he had been sold to a camel farm owner. I have bought you and can't send you back to India. This is what the camel farm owner had told my husband." She said Muniasamy had worked abroad prior to their marriage and this is the first time he was cheated.

Both the victims had gone to Saudi Arabia, paying Rs 1.5 lakh to an agent, who guaranteed construction jobs in Riyadh and issued a validated 90 days visa from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the duo.