Navsari, January 22: Meena Rajesh Joshi, a 38-year-old widow from Navsari, Gujarat, has become the face of a growing overseas job scam crisis after being found stranded and penniless in Belarus. Lured by the promise of a lucrative fruit-packaging job, Joshi travelled to the Eastern European nation in November 2025, only to find herself trapped in what she described as "deplorable conditions".

Following a viral video where she pleaded for help while alleging she was being housed in a cowshed, the Belarus Ministry of Internal Affairs and Indian authorities launched a high-level intervention to facilitate her return. Gujarat Snake Rescue Video: Man Performs CPR on Venomous Russel’s Viper in Valsad, Clip Goes Viral.

Meena Joshi To Return to India on January 24

Today, January 22, officials said that Meena Joshi is set to return to India on January 24. Those facilitating her return further added that Joshi will depart from Minsk International Airport at 9.20 PM on January 23 and arrive at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6.40 AM the next day. Post which, she will proceed to her hometown thereafter.

Who Is Meena Joshi? How Did She End Up in Belarus?

Meena Joshi, a mother of three who had lost her husband, was seeking a stable income to support her family. She was reportedly approached by an agent based in Vadodara, who promised her a job packing fruit with a monthly salary of INR 90,000 along with overtime benefits. To secure the job opportunity, Joshi took out a significant loan, paying the agent approximately INR 5.5 lakh for visa and placement services.

Upon her arrival in Belarus, however, the promised employment did not materialise, and the agent reportedly blocked her contact shortly after she arrived. It is reported that Joshi was made to tend to animals at a stable. With no income and no money to return home, she was left stranded. Online Scam in Gujarat: Offering Part-Time Jobs, Two College Dropouts Dupe People of Rs 60 Crore in Three Months; Arrested.

Allegations of 'Labor Slavery' and Living Conditions in Belarus

In a series of distress videos that gained traction on social media, Joshi alleged that she and other Indian nationals were being held in an isolated area roughly 350-400 kilometres from the capital city of Minsk. She claimed that instead of proper housing, she was accommodated in a cowshed and forced to work under conditions far removed from her original contract. The video drew public attention and prompted intervention by the agent who had processed her visa. Piyush Chauhan, owner of Gajanand Overseas, said arrangements were made for Joshi's safe return after the issue came to light.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2026 04:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).