First batch of stranded Indians back

With a little help from expatriates in Kabul and the support of the Indian embassy,the first batch of Indian workers that had...

With a little help from expatriates in Kabul and the support of the Indian embassy,the first batch of Indian workers that had been stuck in Afghanistan for the past several weeks after getting duped by travel agents returned to the country on Monday.

Sources said the first set of four labourers,belonging to Azamgarh district in UP,who were stranded in Kabul managed to catch a flight back to India on Monday. While the Indian embassy helped them with exit visas,a few Kabul-based expatriates pitched in for the tickets back home.

They are part of the group of Indian workers stuck at the Kart-e-parwan Gurdwara. They had come dreaming of big money but were duped by their agents. They had been issued fake Afghan work visas, said Prasant Satapathy,an Indian expatriate in Kabul.

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The Indian embassy in Kabul is also working to get the Indian workers back home. Officials said the number of cases of Indians getting caught in the job scam had increased exponentially in the past six months. Some of the cases,officials said,also pertained to fake visas,pointing to a large ring of human trafficking network.

Close to 250 Indians are said to have fallen victim to the racket in recent months. The workers,who were promised high-paying jobs in Afghanistan,were brought in three different batches from Dubai,Pakistan and directly from Delhi. However,after reaching Kabul,the workers were abandoned by their agents. Many discovered that they had been issued fake work visas.

Most of the stranded workers found shelter at the local gurdwara where they are being provided food by the locals. The gurdwara is also being financially supported by the Indian embassy and officials have made personal contributions to keep the kitchens running,sources said.