Rajasthan Youths Trapped in Dubai Job Scam
Dozens of Indian nationals from the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan are currently stranded in Dubai, having fallen victim to a predatory Dubai job scam. The victims, including six young men who arrived in the UAE between October 1 and 3, 2026, report that their passports were immediately seized upon arrival, leaving them vulnerable to extortion and grueling labor conditions.
Extortion and Ransom Demands
The trapped workers claim they are being held under duress and are facing a "return ransom" demand. To secure their repatriation and return to India, they are reportedly being asked to pay 3,000 dirhams (approximately ₹80,000).
The victims have highlighted a pattern of exploitation where local agents in Rajasthan charge between ₹50,000 and ₹60,000 for what are promised to be "direct company" visas. However, once the workers arrive in the UAE, they are often outsourced to third-party supply firms, leaving them without the protections or wages originally promised.
Grueling 16-Hour Workdays
The living and working conditions reported by the victims are severe. Instead of the eight-hour shifts they were promised, many are being forced into 16-hour workdays that begin as early as 4:00 a.m.
Amir Khan, a worker from Rajgarh, Churu, described the intense physical demands of the jobs, noting that laborers are required to climb up to 50 floors daily. He further reported that workers are denied leave even when they fall ill and face constant threats of eviction from their accommodations.
Case Studies of Exploitation
The victims provided specific accounts of how the scam unfolded:
- Mehboob Ali: A tile mason from Dabri Dhir Singh village in Jhunjhunu, Ali paid ₹50,000 to a local agent, Suresh Kumar, for a position with MBM company. Despite arriving on a visa for that company, he was transferred to ABC supply company, where his passport was confiscated and his wages were withheld.
- Mohammed Shoheb Ali: Reported that the recruitment agent explicitly stated his responsibility to the workers ended the moment they reached Dubai.
Urgent Calls for Government Intervention
The victims have released video appeals directed at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Consulate in Dubai, and the Indian government, pleading for urgent assistance to ensure their safety.
While the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) strictly prohibits employers from confiscating employee passports, the workers claim that legal and diplomatic channels have been slow to address their plight. As of October 10, 2026, the workers remain without identification documents or adequate food, calling for immediate intervention to resolve the crisis.