An Indian woman held captive by an employer in Oman has returned home

A lady from Chhattisgarh who was allegedly held captive by her employer in Oman after travelling there to work as a cook returned to India on Friday, according to an official.

Jogi Dipika (30), who has been in the Indian Embassy shelter in Muscat since February 1, was met at Swami Vivekananda Airport by her husband Jogi Mukesh and BJP MLA Rikesh Sen.

Mukesh, a resident of Bhilai in Durg district, said earlier this week that his wife, who had been working as a cook in Oman since March of last year, had been kidnapped by her employer and had asked the authorities for assistance in rescuing her.

Rikesh Sen, MLA from Vaishali Nagar seat in Durg district, informed reporters that Mukesh had approached him at a ‘jan darshan’ (public grievances redressal programme) about his wife being held captive and tortured by her employer.

“I immediately contacted local police officials and notified Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, state Home Minister Vijay Sharma, and Assembly Speaker Raman Singh.” Dipika was able to get hold of a phone and speak with me,” Rikesh Sen said.

Dipika told me she worked with a Muslim household. I instructed her to flee the scene and seek refuge at the Indian Embassy in Muscat. She managed to flee, but no cab driver agreed to take her to the embassy. Then I contacted some Indian acquaintances there, who dropped her off at the Embassy,” the MLA explained.

According to Rikesh Sen, Embassy officials informed him that it would be impossible to return the woman to India as soon as feasible because 50 other women were at the facility seeking repatriation after experiencing similar ordeals.

Abdullah, a man from Hyderabad, sold Dipika for ₹ 2 lakh with the intention of sending her for a job. He’s done the same with several women. “I asked Embassy officials to send her back and told them I would pay the airfare,” the MLA stated.

According to Rikesh Sen, Indian Embassy officials informed him that they would arrange for her travel to Delhi, but that he would be responsible for her travel expenditures.

“I booked a ticket for her from Delhi, and she arrived in Raipur this evening.” Police will now record her statement so that Abdullah and anyone who commits such crimes can be arrested,” he said.

Rikesh Sen commended Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, Chief Minister Sai, state Home Minister Sharma, and Raman Singh for their efforts to reunite the woman.