By Rootsalert News desk| February- 02-2026
RANCHI– Fourteen migrant workers from Jharkhand have issued a desperate plea for help from Dubai, claiming they are being held in “slave-like” conditions after a recruitment deal turned into a nightmare of debt and threats.
The men, who traveled from Giridih, Hazaribagh, and Bokaro in search of a better life, say they are now struggling to find food after their employer, EMC Electromechanical Co LLC, allegedly reneged on nearly every promise made during recruitment.
The Ordeal: From Promises to Threats
According to video testimonials sent by the workers, the reality on the ground is a far cry from the verbal agreements made back home:
• The Salary Trap: While promised 1,600 Dirhams per month with free food and housing, workers say they are receiving barely 1,000 Dirhams. The company is allegedly making illegal deductions for flight tickets and visas—costs that were supposed to be covered by the employer.
• Hostage Passports: When the group refused to work under these conditions and asked to return to India, the company allegedly seized their passports, effectively trapping them in the country.
• Extortion & Eviction: The workers claim a camp supervisor demanded a “payment” of 5,000 Dirhams each, threatening to throw them out onto the streets if they didn’t pay up.
• Starvation Risk: With no money left, the men are reportedly surviving on credit, borrowing food from local shops just to get through the day.
“They are not working,” says Company
In response to the allegations, an HR representative for EMC, Manjunath Nagvi, dismissed the workers’ claims. He argued that the company has already paid their salaries and invested heavily in two-year visas. He stated that it is “not possible” to send them back only a month into their contracts, framing the situation as a refusal to work rather than exploitation.
Government Intervention Pending
The State Migrant Workers Control Room in Jharkhand has officially acknowledged the complaint. Head official Shikha Lakra stated that the department is currently verifying the details before taking diplomatic steps to bring the men home.
Social activist Sikandar Ali, who first brought the video to light, is calling for immediate intervention from the Indian Embassy. “These are poor men who went to earn a living, not to be extorted and starved,” he said
