Hyderabad woman alleges 15-hour workdays and no pay in Oman, Embassy takes cognisance

A 26-year-old woman from Hyderabad has sought help from the Embassy of India in Muscat after alleging that she was forced to work long hours without pay and subjected to abuse by her employer in Oman.

Shabnam Begum, a resident of Pahadi Shareef in Hyderabad, had travelled to Muscat on March 26, 2026, after a local recruitment agent allegedly promised her a housemaid's job with a monthly salary of 200 Omani riyals (around Rs 50,000).

Following her appeal and public calls for help by her family, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said it has taken cognisance of the matter and is pursuing it with the concerned authorities.

Allegations of exploitation and abuse

According to Shabnam and her family, the job she was promised turned into months of exploitation after she reached Oman.

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She alleged that instead of working in a single household, she was made to work in several homes for 12 to 15 hours a day. She also claimed that she was denied proper food and accommodation and was not paid any salary for over three to four months.

In a self-recorded video sent to Hyderabad-based politician and Majlis Bachao Tehreek leader Amjed Ullah Khan, Shabnam said she was forced to work "day and night" without receiving any wages.

She further alleged that she was not allowed to keep a mobile phone for nearly one-and-a-half months and was subjected to physical abuse.

"I was tortured and beaten," she claimed in the emotional video, while appealing for help to return home safely.

Escaped employer, reached Indian Embassy

Unable to bear the alleged abuse, Shabnam said she escaped from her employer and managed to reach the Embassy of India in Muscat, where she is currently seeking assistance.

She also alleged that the recruitment agents had taken away her passport, making it difficult for her to leave the country.

Amjed Ullah Khan, who shared her video on social media platform X, said she had been lured to Oman with false promises of employment and decent wages.

He alleged that after reaching Muscat, she was forced to work in multiple households, denied basic facilities and remained unpaid for four months.

Family seeks intervention

Shabnam's family has appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to direct the Indian Embassy in Muscat to ensure her safety and facilitate her immediate return to Hyderabad.

They have also sought action against the recruitment agent who allegedly sent her abroad on false promises.

Responding to the appeal on X, the Embassy of India in Muscat said it had taken "cognisance of the matter" and that the case was "being taken up at appropriate levels."

The embassy did not provide further details, but its response has raised hopes that efforts are underway to ensure the woman's safety and assist in her repatriation to India.