Rokhiya Begum, resident of Hyderabad, stranded in Oman
Hyderabad: Rokhiya Begum from Hyderabad, who was stranded in Oman’s capital Muscat, will soon return home after going through an excruciating ordeal of three months.
Rokhiya, a resident of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Gagillapur, Dundigal, travelled to Oman in February in search of employment.
She had travelled on a tourist visa issued on February 9, which was valid until May 9.
However, she found herself alone in the Gulf country after a travel agent cheated her. To sustain herself in a foreign country, she started working as a domestic help in multiple households. But fate had different plans for her as she was hit with a recurring illness and episodes of unconsciousness.
When she requested to return to India, her employer allegedly demanded Rs 1.5 lakh for her release and return of her passport.
In a complaint addressed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, her sister, Nasreen Begum, alleged that her family sent Rs 50,000 twice to the employer – on February 23 and 25. They also promised to send Rs 30,000 once Rokhiya reaches Hyderabad.
Despite this, the employer refused to send her back, prompting the family to approach the authorities.
The issue drew the attention of local activists who took Rokhiya’s case to the Telangana NRI Advisory Cell. Following repeated communications to the Indian Embassy in Oman, a reply regarding Rokhiya’s safe return was received on Sunday, May 10.
Rokhiya has been safely escorted to the Indian Embassy, and her return flight will be arranged after processing of her travel documents, a release from the NRI Advisory Cell stated.
The cell will also try to reclaim the Rs 1 lakh that Rokhiya’s family had sent to the employer, the release stated.
This post was last modified on May 10, 2026 9:50 pm