Saudi Arabia-based Nepali embassy has rescued and repatriated a Nepali woman who was forcefully employed as domestic helper in the country.  The Nepali girl, Shanta Pariyar, of Palungtar-9, Gorkha had been working as housemaid in Al-Ahsa since December 4, 2010.

She reunited with her family after she landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 9:20 via an Air Arabia plane. Her two younger sisters and mother Sabitri and father Hasta Bahadur reached the airport to receive her.

“Our daughter had gone out of contact for the past five years. We were worried about her whereabouts and conditions. We were stressed and worried if she was dead or alive,” said her mother Sabitri. “We are very happy to see her arrive home.”

The embassy learnt about her plight after her employer went to the embassy to make her passport. “Her employer had reached the embassy along with Shanta to make her passport,” said secretary at Nepali embassy Bijaya Kanta Raut.

Though Shanta’s employer had pledged to send her back to Nepal, he continued to keep her as maid.   But the embassy found out about this when the employer, Kafil, reached the embassy to get her passport after two months. “Kafil later brought Shanta at the embassy after the embassy enquired about her and said she should have been sent back a year earlier,” said Raut.

Shanta could return home after Kafil paid her due amount of 15400 Riyal, and gave air-ticket and exit letter at the embassy.