Mahendranagar, February 1:

Fifteen youths of Kanchanpur, working as labourers in Qatar, have been facing hardships they never thought they would undergo in their lives, it was revealed here today.

President of the CPN (UML) affiliated Democratic National Youth Association Nepal (DNYA), Ashok Chand, quoting the victims, said those victims include Bhoj Raj Panta, Mohan Das Panta, Khem Raj Panta, Ganesh Das Bhatta, Lalit Singh Saud, Sudarshan Bam, Surendra Bahadur Singh, Surendra Singh Dhami, Ramesh Bahadur Khadayat, Rajendra Bahadur Aer, Shyam Bahadur Shahi, Ratan Bahadur Khati, Hari Prasad Pandey, Govinda Bahadur Kunwar and Dambar Bahadur Joshi.

All of them reached Qatar via New Delhi through a foreign employment agency, Rocky International Pvt Ltd, on January 10. They were told that the jobs assigned to them in Qatar were related to wiring and plumbing. However, they were made to do the job of coolies, ferrying construction materials, the victims told their parents over telephone. They were even denied foods after 18 hours of daily work, it was said.

The DNYA Kanchanpur demanded that the 15 victims be safely returned home and the culprits be brought to justice.