TS man back home after 3-year Gulf ordeal

40-year-old from Nizamabad spent three months in jail for overstaying in Saudi Arabia

It was a harsh lesson for Lambani Paramesh who left for Saudi Arabia in October 2016 in search of employment without required skills or proper documents in place. The three-year travails of this 40-year-old ended when he returned home on Thursday with the help of Gulf Telangana Welfare and Cultural Association (GTWCA) and the Indian Embassy there.

Farm losses

Paramesh, hailing from Gudi Tanda under Govindpally gram panchayat in Darpally mandal, owned an acre of farm land on which he used to work along with his family members. As agriculture became economically non-viable and he incurred losses after drilling a borewell, he decided to go to the Gulf to seek work as a carpenter. For the purpose, he borrowed ₹1.30 lakh to be paid to a Gulf agent called Limbadri of Gongoppula village to get there.

After landing in Riyadh, however, unfolded a series of nightmares. His kapil (owner), instead of engaging him as a carpenter, sent him to his dates’ orchard to water the trees. After eight months, the owner threw him out of job without paying salary. As his visa expired, he worked here and there illegally for over two years. One day, when he went to the market for purchasing provisions, he was caught by police and sent to jail where he spent three months.

Parameswar, an unlettered person, said there are four barracks in the jail, each housing 300 to 400 people, most of them from India. In his barrack were three migrant labourers from Nizamabad.

“Jail life was a nightmare and I had no hope of coming back. However, my relative Lal Singh Nayak helped contact GTWCA president Patkuri Basanth Reddy. Mr Reddy made efforts through a representative of the association in Riyadh to arrange for my return,” he told The Hindu.

“I appeal to all those looking for opportunities in the Gulf as labourers not to go there since the scope for the unskilled workers is meagre,” he added.