Chandigarh, June 2 (IANS) Seven women and one boy from Punjab were reunited with their families, as they landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi Friday.
With them, the total number of rescued women in two weeks rose to 24 under the initiative Mission Hope run by Punjab AAP Rajya Sabha member, Vikram Sahney.
He said the Mission Hope, which was launched last month, is achieving great success and they are committed to bringing every stranded Punjabi girl from Oman.
"Our team is working on a war-footing and have visited Oman twice to liaise with all stakeholders to expedite the rescue operation as soon as possible," he said.
Sahney added he has hired a prestigious immigration law firm in Oman, which is fighting the legal battle to accelerate the process of taking these girls back home.
"Our lawyers are connecting with the sponsors and agents of these women and paying them the requisite penalties to get all the necessary documents for these girls to travel back home."
Sahney informed that the women who came on Saturday are from Jalandhar, Shahkot, Phillaur, Jagraon, Patti, Tarn Taran, Nakodar and Bathinda.
They were stranded after being lured by unscrupulous agents and so-called manpower consultants to go to Oman on false pretexts of employment there.
While one boy from Jalandhar, who was also trapped and was working as a sevadar in a local gurdwara in Muscat, was rescued by paying an overstay penalty.
Sahney, who is also the International President of World Punjabi Organisation, is bearing all the cost of penalties which sponsors are demanding to cancel the unreasonable contracts of these women, their air tickets, etc.
Akso Sahney runs a community kitchen at the shelter home where women from different parts of India are seeking refuge in Muscat.
Sahney said all seven women who were rescued will go to their nearest police stations and file FIRs against their respective agents who duped them and sent them to Oman by making false promises.
The drugs that were reduced to ashes at the Mumbai Waste Management Ltd premises, included heroin (16.633 kg), cocaine (9.035 kg), methamphetamine (198.1 kg), marijuana (32.915 kg), mandrax tablets (81.91 kg) and MDMA tablets (134 gms), said an official.
The accused has been identified as Rahul, alias Akash, of Ferozepur. The police have also booked his close associate, Sukh, alias Subash. Both are history-sheeters and have been facing criminal cases of crimes, including double murder, attempt to murder and possessing arms.
Congratulating the meritorious students, he extended best wishes to them for their future. Mann said it is a red-letter day for the state as these girl students have proved their mettle by excelling in these exams.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal on Friday accused the AAP government in Punjab of trying to muzzle the voice of media ever since it assumed power. "The government has registered false cases against journalists besides banning web channels and even stopping advertisements to publications which refused to relay its propaganda," he said.
Gandhi's trip is impelled "by a desire to raise our concern about democracy", said Sam Pitroda, a longtime US-based associate of the Gandhis and someone closely associated with the planning and execution of the Congress leader's visit.
Notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was transferred from Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat to Delhi's Mandoli Prison in the early hours of Thursday. The decision to lodge Bishnoi to Mandoli jail was taken due to security concerns, a senior prison official said.
