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Pregnant maid starved for a week at Dubai Airport

Hyderabad: A pregnant maid who was stranded at the Dubai Airport was rescued by social activists and she arrived Hyderabad last night.

She was starved for a week at Dubai Airport. Hajera Begum (31) hails from the old city of Hyderabad, went to Dubai from Hyderabad on February 12 of this year on a visit visa through an agent for a maid job.

The House Maid Agency offered her a job in the Al Ain area. In the first week of March, Hajera Begum underwent a medical examination to switch from a visit visa to an employment visa and was found to be pregnant which was happened in India. As per the residency regulations, she could not get the employment visa as she was pregnant, so the agency had decided to send her to India. As the lockdown enforces in March, she was stranded in Dubai and all international flights were halted.

The agency provided an air ticket for Hajera Begum on ‘Fly Dubai’ Airlines from Dubai to Hyderabad and dropped her at Dubai Airport Terminal-2 on 14th July, however, she was stranded at the airport after the flight was unexpectedly canceled. A maid named Karupota Sujatha from Thadepalligudem in Andhra Pradesh was also in a similar plight.  The duo stayed together in Dubai Airport Terminal-2 for a week with starvation. Passengers on other flights noticed their plight, gave some foodstuff and money to them.

Knowing about them, ‘Friends of India’ volunteer Surathani Malla Reddy picked up them from the airport on July 22. They visited the Indian Consulate in Dubai along with him, The duo then explained their condition to the officials of the who in turn provided a free ticket to Hajera Begum.  Rupesh Mehta, spokesperson of ‘Jain Seva Mission’, arrange a free ticket for  Karupota Sujatha. Social worker Uma Shankari coordinated with the Consulate.

After getting free tickets for them, a Social worker Ullengu Sharada who hails from Kilipaka village Jakran pally Mandal in Nizamabad district came forward to give shelter at her house. Although Sharada lived in a cramped residence with her two daughters, she proved her open heart by providing shelter to distressed women in a foreign country. Hajera Begum, who is seven months pregnant, was treated with love and affection as a mother by Sharada and conducted ‘Seemantham’ (Woman’s pregnancy ceremony to seek blessings for safe delivery) to Hajera Begum on 27th July in the presence of neighbors and she arrived last night to Hyderabad.