Two young girls from Punjab, who recently returned from Iraq, have exposed a major racket involving travel agents, leaving authorities alarmed. Sant Balbir Singh Seehowal, a Member of Parliament, urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to address the prevalent issue of a large network of unscrupulous travel agents in Punjab.
According to the victims, the travel agents are deceiving innocent and unsuspecting individuals, duping them and selling young girls in foreign countries. The two girls, who returned from Iraq, shared their harrowing experience, revealing that they were sent to Dubai first by a travel agent named Mandeep Kaur for a hefty fee of Rs. 80,000 each. After an 8-hour layover at the Dubai airport, they were sent back to India.The victims narrated that upon arrival in Iraq, they discovered they had been sold. They were forced to work late into the night, and if they refused or couldn’t work, they were subjected to physical abuse. Additionally, when they protested, they were beaten and confined to a bathroom.
The affected girls further disclosed that the travel agent had promised them employment in a restaurant in Iraq. Still, upon reaching their destination, the reality turned out to be a nightmare of exploitation and abuse. The victims have now come forward seeking justice for the injustice they endured.
Sant Balbir Singh Seehowal appealed to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav to take strict action against travel agents involved in such heinous activities. He stressed the need for a thorough investigation to ensure that innocent people are protected from falling victim to these unscrupulous practices. The MP called for stringent measures to curb the activities of fraudulent travel agents and safeguard the welfare of Punjab residents.