Tragically, Juned wandered aimlessly in the vast sand dunes, unaware of his location, covering hundreds of kilometers before succumbing to the harsh conditions
In a heartbreaking incident, Alam Juned, a 22-year-old from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, fell victim to unscrupulous recruitment agents in India, leading to his demise from starvation in the desolate desert near Riyadh. Originally aspiring for a prosperous future to support his family, Juned found himself as a camel herder in the unforgiving Wadi Dawasir area, 600km away from Riyadh, far removed from the promised salesman’s job in a supermarket.
Tragically, Juned wandered aimlessly in the vast sand dunes, unaware of his location, covering hundreds of kilometers before succumbing to the harsh conditions. His decomposed body was discovered 15 days after his demise, revealing the grim reality of his fate. A small bag containing two sets of clothes and a passport copy, found near his remains, served as a poignant reminder of his lost dreams and misfortune.
Amidst the darkness of this unfortunate tale, there is a glimmer of hope as Indian social worker Sidhikh Tuvvur steps in to assist 51 Indians stranded as camel herders in the Rub Al Khali desert, highlighting the need for collective efforts to rescue those ensnared in fraudulent recruitment schemes.
The challenges of navigating the treacherous desert, Wadi al-Dawasir, on the edge of Rub’ al Khali, the Empty Quarter, proved insurmountable for Juned. The desolate landscape, with its scorching temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, made survival nearly impossible, especially for those unfamiliar with such harsh terrains, like many unsuspecting Indians who ended up as camel herders after being deceived by recruitment agencies.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh, after months of bureaucratic processes, recently repatriated Juned’s body, offering some closure to his grieving family. This tragic incident sheds light on the plight of individuals cheated by unscrupulous agents, prompting calls for stricter regulations and awareness campaigns to protect vulnerable job seekers.
Amidst the darkness of this unfortunate tale, there is a glimmer of hope as Indian social worker Sidhikh Tuvvur steps in to assist 51 Indians stranded as camel herders in the Rub Al Khali desert, highlighting the need for collective efforts to rescue those ensnared in fraudulent recruitment schemes.
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