Sold by husband to UAE national, Balangir woman returns to India after 7 yrs

Balangir: Sold by her husband to a United Arab Emirates (UAE) national in 2019, a 30-year-old woman, who hails from Balangir district, finally made her way back to India from the Gulf on June 7, after seven years of anguish.Currently in Mumbai, she will soon return home to her village under Titilagarh block, where her three daughters, who live with their grandparents, are waiting for her.Her homecoming from the UAE was made possible through the coordinated intervention of the Indian Consulate in Dubai and the UAE ministry of foreign affairs, besides financial aid from Indian Community Welfare Fund.According to her family, the woman and her husband travelled to Mumbai in search of work in 2019, when her husband sold her to the UAE national to work as a maid.She briefly travelled to India in 2022 with her employer, but after going back to the Gulf, her family slowly lost all contacts with her.Her passport was allegedly retained by her sponsor illegally, and her ability to travel or communicate freely was significantly constrained. As months stretched into years, with no word on her whereabouts, the family’s anxiety deepened. In desperation, they approached local authorities as well as some social activists. A social worker brought the matter to Odisha high court for help.The case gained fresh momentum when a video showing her pleading for help began circulating on social media. In response, authorities ramped up efforts to locate her and re-establish communication. Officials at the Indian Consulate in Dubai liaised with Emirati authorities and began verifying her identity through official records. Once she was found, the consulate discovered she was struggling financially and had no means to return to India on her own.According to reports, the consulate arranged temporary housing and other essentials for her. Her flight back home was organised with assistance from the Indian Community Welfare Fund, which also covered the cost of her ticket. After all the required paperwork, she was granted permission to travel back to India.