THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three Keralite youths who were physically tortured by their Saudi Arabian employer arrived to an emotional welcome at the international airport here on Saturday morning.
The youths, Abhilash Gopi, 21, ‘Anju Bhavan,’ Malamelkode, Muttom, near Haripad, B Vimal Kumar, 30, ‘Puthanveedu,’ Kanichanelloor, Muttom and Byju Babu, Arattupuzha, near Haripad, landed in a Flydubai flight around 2.40 am.
The plight of the youths came to light after a WhatsApp video which showed them being beaten up by their employer went viral.
The video was shot by one of them and sent to his family back home. They were rescued by the Indian Embassy following the intervention of Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. ‘’I went there to repay a housing loan.
Though I’m back to safety, the loan repayment is a cause for worry. But I will not return to that country,” Abhilash said. The youths who landed in Saudi Arabia separately were not given the promised jobs and asked to work in a brick kiln. Baiju was promised the job of a pump operator and others the post of diesel mechanic.
“We want the police to conduct a thorough probe and book the visa agents who duped them,” the mother of a youth said.
