12 Punjabi workers illegally taken to Libya by agent rescued after 2 months

Twelve Indian workers who had been stuck in Libya for the past two months were rescued under a collaborative effort between the National Council for Minorities, the ministry of external affairs, and the Indian embassy in Tunisia, according to media reports.

The migrants were illegally transported from Punjab to Libya by an agent who had made them promises of lucrative employment, good pay, and a happy life, media reports further added.

When the workers arrived in Libya, they were given work in private companies without pay and were kept as bonded labour. Furthermore, they were reportedly beaten and not given proper food, according to a statement by the National Commission for Minorities.

As 12 Indians stranded in #Libya return back home, Hon'ble Chairman, NCM, Shri @ILalpura lauds efforts of @MEAIndia, @IndiainTunisia and NCM.#minorities #Sikhs #Sikh #India #issue pic.twitter.com/InezpBQtGd

— National Commission for Minorities (@NCM_GoI) March 5, 2023

Local community leaders reportedly detailed their condition to NCM chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura, who then forwarded the representation to the ministry on February 6. Additionally, The Embassy of India in Tunisia was also notified, with the Embassy corresponding with a resident of Benghazi in Libya who helped aid the rescue operation.

With the help of the Embassy in Tunisia, four of the 12 workers were brought back to India on February 12 and the rest are to arrive back in the country on March 2, according to media reports.