Visakhapatnam Youth Stranded In Sharjah Rescued And Brought Home By Police

In a significant rescue effort, five youth from Visakhapatnam, who had been stranded in Sharjah, were rescued and returned home on 22 January with the help of the City Police. The youths, hailing from various parts of the city, had traveled abroad for welding and other skilled work opportunities but faced challenges that left them jobless and unable to return.

The group was received by Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi at the Visakhapatnam Airport. Speaking to reporters, Commissioner Bagchi explained that the youths had completed their Intermediate education and undergone training in welding. With the assistance of a Gajuwaka-based consultancy, they traveled to Sharjah last year, where the employing company conducted skill tests. While some secured jobs, others were left without employment and stranded without support from the company or the consultancy.

One of the returnees, Rajesh, shared his ordeal, stating that seven individuals had paid around Rs 78,000 each to the consultancy in exchange for a one-month training program and job placements abroad. However, the promised jobs never materialized, leaving them helpless. “We were stuck with no way to return home, and the consultancy stopped responding. When we saw the Vizag police’s social media post, we reached out to the Police Commissioner. They immediately took action and brought us back,” he recounted.

Commissioner Bagchi highlighted that the police prioritized recovering the victims’ money instead of filing cases against the consultancy, as per the victims’ requests. “We are working to ensure that the amounts paid by these youths are returned to them,” he stated.

The Commissioner also revealed that similar victims stranded Telugu youth in Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, and other countries had been rescued with assistance from the Vizag police. These efforts were made possible through collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs.

Furthermore, an inquiry is underway to examine job consultancies operating in the region. “We are investigating the number of consultancies, their registration status, and whether they have renewed their licenses,” Commissioner Bagchi added, signaling a crackdown on unregulated agencies exploiting job seekers.

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