Goan Women held captive in Albania freed: NRI Commissioner
Twenty Indian women on working for a company in Albania out of which eight from Goa who have been held captives by their employers have been freed at last and have returned to India.
Confirming this development, Eduardo Faleiro, Commissioner, NRI Affairs, Government of Goa, said, “I have been informed me that the matter concerned of a group of 20 women and 17 of them were repatriated by the Government of India. The 17 left Tirana, the capital of Albania, last Friday by a Turkish Airlines flight and arrived in Mumbai last Saturday via Istanbul. Three of the women did not want to return and preferred to remain in Albania”.
Eight Goan ladies were cheated with promise of employment in Albania. They were taken to Albania and made to work 10 hours a day and paid 2 US dollars a day instead of the promised 20 US dollars plus Overtime allowance. Florine Fernandes, 30, from Goa, one of the women in the group, said they hope the Indian authorities would come to their help. ‘Our work permit cards had been taken away by company. We had been suffering physically and mentally.”
Speaking on whether the government of Goa or at the Centre would take any action against the erring recruitment firm from Goa that sent the girls abroad to work for the Albanian company, Faleiro added, “If any complaint is received by us in this matter we shall ensure appropriate action against the culprits.”
The names of the women who were held captive are mentioned below:
- Ms Raji Puthentharayil Rajapan : Passport Number – G7100025
- Ms Vijitha Kunnumal : Passport Number – G 0904195
- Ms Anishamol Kunju : Passport Number – J 2919096
- Ms Yamuna Devi Karthl: Passport Number – E 5910665
- Ms Latha Kamaladas: Passport Number – H 3057699
- Ms Fathima Haider: Passport Number – G 2105199
- Ms Bindu Mannathusseril Thankappan: Passport Number- G 5300393
- Ms Monica Camil Dias: Passport Number – E 2534339
- Ms Joanita Dias: Passport Number – F 8418480
- Ms Pereira Grace Vina : Passport Number – A 2437912
- Ms Andriya Bavtis D’Souza : Passport Number – J 2751082
- Ms Helena Bastao D’Souza : Passport Number – J 2748583
- Ms Sarita Bijai Tarpe : Passport Number – H 9002422
- Ms Effie Fernandes : Passport Number – G 9216941
- Ms Bibijan : Passport Number – E 7794240
- Ms Florine Fernandes : Passport Number – F 9878256
- Ms Heena Mohd. Salim Shaikh : Passport Number – H 1311942