SRIKAKULAM: As many as 24 workers belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, who were hired through local job agents, for a company in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December last year have alleged torture by the firm. They alleged that they were living in miserable condition and the company officials were not even providing them food and water.
The workers sent WhatsApp messages to the local media on Sunday seeking help from the government to rescue them. In the message, they said that they were being tortured by the company for the last 10 days.
Madhu, who runs One Planet Tech ITTC institute in Brahmapur in Odisha, and Srihari, the owner of Laxmi Ganapathi Institute in Visakhapatnam, lured the labourers with lucrative jobs in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The workers paid them around Rs1 lakh each, the message said.
The job agents promised them jobs in the Arabian Metal Company (AMC), a Korean firm in Riyadh, with free accommodation and food.
The workers got their Visas through Voltech Company in Chennai and flew to Riyadh in December last year.
"After reaching in Saudi Arabia, the job agents told us that we would work for in Amal al-Muqauril Company. Though we have signed contract for the mechanical jobs, the company is forcing us to do menial works. Since the day we joined, we are being tortured physically and mentally by the company officials. We have not had our foods for the last few days. When we complained to the job agents here (Saudi Arabia), they ignored our pleas," the workers alleged in the message.
Vexed over it, the workers appealed to the Saudi Arabia government and Indian Embassy.
“On the suggestions of the Indian Embassy, we have got the out-passes for leaving the country. But, the company officials are not allowing us to leave. They have stopped our food," the labourers said.
The workers also listed out all the names of the stranded which include Dupana Prakash Rerddy from Ampuram village of Kanchili mandal in Srikakulam district, Karthik from Talabadra village of Sompeta mandal, K Rama Rao from Bellupada Colony in Ichchapuram, Bruhaspathi from Guddipadra village and Hari Krishna from Borivada village, both in Ganjam district of Odisha.