Lured to Thailand for jobs, Gujarat sisters rescued from Laos after 20 days

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 5, 2026 07:37 IST

Two women from Gujarat who were trapped abroad after being lured with promises of jobs and were allegedly on the verge of being trafficked have been safely rescued from Laos as part of a major international operation involving the Indian Embassy and the country's army.

The two sisters from Anand had travelled to Thailand in search of employment. According to their account, they were illegally taken to Laos under the pretext of being provided jobs in Thailand. Upon reaching Laos, the sisters allegedly fell victim to an international human trafficking network and lost contact with their family for 20 days.

As the family grew increasingly distressed and exhausted all options, they approached Anand MP Mitesh Patel for help.

Recognising the seriousness of the case, Patel immediately stepped in and launched "Operation Mahisagar 2.0".

The mission, dubbed "Operation Mahisagar 2.0", was successfully carried out through the efforts of Patel and the timely intervention of India's Ministry of External Affairs.

Patel promptly contacted the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Laos. Embassy officials, working with local security agencies in Laos, traced the sisters' location.

After obtaining credible information, and following diplomatic efforts led by the MP and Indian authorities, the Laos Army reportedly raided the location where the women were being held captive.

The sisters were rescued from the alleged traffickers through a joint operation involving the Laos Army and the Indian Embassy.

Speaking about the operation, Mitesh Patel said: "Our two daughters were in distress abroad and were on the verge of becoming victims of human trafficking. As soon as the family contacted me, we immediately launched Operation Mahisagar 2.0 with the help of the Indian Embassy and the local army (Laos Army). I am happy that both women are now completely safe and will soon return home."

This is not the first time Patel has been involved in rescuing Gujaratis stranded overseas.

Earlier, "Operation Mahisagar" was launched to assist youths stranded in Azerbaijan. According to the statement, "Operation Mahisagar 2.0" has also been highly successful.

Following the rescue, legal formalities are now being completed to facilitate the sisters' return to India.

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Inputs from Hetali M Shah