Swaraj asks Indian embassy in Saudi to rescue Hyderabad woman

Financial woes and debts drove Salma Begum to Saudi Arabia.

New Delhi, Apr 24: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday asked the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to rescue and repatriate a woman from Hyderabad who has been allegedly facing mental and physical harassment by her sponsor there.

Swaraj's direction to the Indian embassy officials in Riyadh came after a media report said the woman was deceived by her agents and was now physically harassed by her sponsor.

In a series tweets, she said, "I have asked Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to rescue and repatriate her to India at the earliest. I have asked @ProtectorGenGOI to proceed against the agent who sent her to Saudi Arabia."

Salma Begum, 39, a resident of Babanagar 'C' block was allegedly sent to Saudi Arabia by two agents identified as Akram and Shafi of the same locality on January 21, 2017 on a housemaid visa.

PTI