Stranded Indian Seafarer Finally Returning Home From Iran

Indian authorities in Tehran have been able to bring back one of the seafarers stranded in Iran. Yaseen Shah, the 31-year-old Indian seafarer, is a native of Karnataka. He is finally on his way back to the country after Indian missions collaborated with Iranian authorities to expedite his return.

The officials have also recovered dues from the employer and made the provision for a return ticket, exit visa, and additional facilities. He will land at Bengaluru in the coming week.

Shah sent a text message saying that he deeply appreciated the cooperation and effort of the Indian Prime Minister’s Office in providing assistance and expediting the return. Indian World Forum based in New Delhi was following up the case with multiple Indian ministries, including the ministry of shipping and external affairs.

Image Credits: Twitter

On 15 July, Yaseen Shah had written to Narendra Modi, the Indian PM. He raised security concerns regarding the exploitation of Indians stranded in Iran.

Yaseen claimed that he had been cheated by the placement and recruitment agents to the tune of about Rs 7 lakh. He had been languishing in Iran for about 600 days without any income. In his letter to PM Modi, he said that he had been abandoned on an inoperative vessel named ‘Payam 2’ at the Khorramshahr Port by employers from 12 January 2020.

Yaseen alleged that after landing in Iran, employers, including local agents had forced him to sign one-sided contracts as well as undertakings in the local language. These documents indemnified the employer against compensations or claims by the employees.

Five Indian seafarers, who had been imprisoned earlier in Iran, were released after more than 400 days on 9 March 2021. They had expressed the plight via a video recording to Indian authorities. The Indian youths Aniket Sham Yenpure, Mandar Milind Worlikar, Naveen Singh, Pranav Kumar, and Thamizhselvan Rengasamy — have not returned to the country as yet. The Iranian authorities are yet to give back essential documents, including their passports. They are still stuck in Chabahar.

Shah’s permits, including their visa, had expired six months ago. He had been surviving on the mercy of local good Samaritans. He reportedly said that another Indian Sandeep Sharma, a Punjabi who had been employed on the vessel ‘Arj’, encountered the same kind of atrocities. Sharma passed away on 24 May 2021 owing to the negligence of employers and agents. He was deprived of basic facilities and medical assistance.

The Indian World Forum has urged the ministry of home affairs and external affairs and the ministry of shipping to take stringent actions against the placement and recruitment agents and all accused in the human trafficking racket.

Reference: theweek.in

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Source: Maritime Shipping News