A woman from Hyderabad’s Pahadi Shareef has sought urgent help after alleging that she was deceived into travelling to Oman for a housemaid job and later subjected to exploitation, abuse, and unpaid labour. Identified as Shabnam Begum, she claimed that a local recruitment agent promised her a monthly salary of 200 Omani Riyals before sending her to Muscat on March 26, 2026. However, after reaching Oman, she was allegedly forced to work in multiple houses for 12 to 15 hours every day, provided inadequate food and accommodation, and denied her salary for four months. According to Begum, the harsh working conditions left her with no option but to escape from her employer.

The matter came to light after Begum recorded a video describing her ordeal and sent it to Hyderabad politician and Majlis Bachao Tehreek leader Amjed Ullah Khan. Sharing her appeal on social media, Khan urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene immediately and ensure her safe return to India. He alleged that Begum had been sent abroad under false promises and called for strict legal action against the recruitment agent responsible for arranging her employment. Khan also requested the Indian government to facilitate her repatriation to Hyderabad at the earliest.

Responding to the appeal, the Embassy of India in Muscat confirmed that it had taken cognisance of the matter and was pursuing the case at the appropriate levels. According to Khan, Begum is currently staying at the Indian Embassy in Muscat after escaping from her employer and is awaiting assistance. The incident has once again highlighted concerns over fraudulent overseas recruitment and the exploitation of migrant domestic workers, with calls for stronger monitoring of recruitment agencies and better protection for Indian citizens seeking employment abroad.