The Kuwaiti authorities have released 665 Indian workers detained in the visa misuse row. The India’s Ambassador to Kuwait, J.C. Mehta told All India Radio that 1238 Indian workers have been identified so far, out of which 665 have been released. 255 detained workers who have been kept at the deportation center are also expected to be released once their sponsors come forward.

The Indian Ambassador himself visited the detention and the deportation centers on Tuesday and met with the senior Kuwait officials. He told that the embassy has verified the details from the detention and the deportation centers along with 25 police stations. The exact number of Indian workers will be known over the next 2-3 days. The Kuwaiti authorities have also agreed to release the detained workers even if the relatives of the sponsors come forward. On the request of the embassy, the police stations are ringing up the sponsors to come forward and get the detained workers released.

The Kuwaiti authorities have said that the detention drive was not at all specifically directed against Indians but a part of the routine security check to curb illegal migrants in the country. The Indian Ambassador also said that no Indian worker has been deported so far. Those who have violated the visa norms technically by working at the industrial sites while on domestic worker visa are being released. The workers whose visa has expired and are overstaying illegally will be deported.

The Kuwait's Interior Ministry conducted raids in the blue collar areas across the country last Wednesday and apprehended over 2136 people from different nationalities. It said that the arrests were made on the charges of expired residency and involvement in drug, theft, liquor and other such cases.