Hyderabad: How RGIA police acted in nick of time to save Andhra woman from trafficking to Oman

Hyderabad: A 35-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district narrowly escaped being trafficked to Muscat, Oman, after being duped by a fake visa agent posing as a job facilitator.

The accused, identified as Akumarthi Satyanarayana, was arrested by the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) police on Sunday for his role in the trafficking attempt.

According to officials, the victim, a daily wage worker from Pentapadu mandal, had approached Satyanarayana four months ago in search of overseas employment. The agent, hailing from the same district, promised to arrange a work visa, medical clearance, and a mandatory Protector of Emigrants (POE) certificate — all at no cost to her.

As her passport had expired, Satyanarayana helped her obtain a new one and assured her that he would cover all travel-related expenses, including the visa and airfare. On June 4, she and her son reached Tanuku railway station, where they were joined by the agent and another woman, Kondalamma. The group arrived in Hyderabad the following day and checked into a hotel near the airport.

Later that night, Satyanarayana handed over travel documents to both women and instructed them to tell immigration officials that they were tourists. However, at the immigration counter, she and Kondalamma disclosed the truth that they were travelling for employment arranged by a man named Sundaram based in Muscat.

Timely alert averts danger

Immigration officials immediately flagged the case, warning the women that travelling on a tourist visa for work without a POE certificate was illegal and risky. Realising they were being trafficked, the women filed a complaint with the airport police and submitted their documents as proof.

Trafficker caught red-handed

On June 7, RGIA police arrested Satyanarayana while he was attempting to courier rolled gold ornaments to a shop in Muscat operated by Sundaram. During interrogation, the accused confessed to being part of a trafficking ring that illegally sends women to Gulf countries under the guise of tourism.

Police said similar past cases involved agents who would initially procure work visas but later switch them with travel visas to avoid detection. As enforcement grew stricter, traffickers began charging Rs 1.5 lakh per woman and arranged jobs post-arrival.

A case has been registered, and Satyanarayana has been sent to judicial remand. Authorities have launched a deeper investigation into the international trafficking network.