Thiruvananthapuram: Three young men from Kerala, who were allegedly tortured physically by their Saudi employer, returned home on Saturday from Saudi Arabia.

The youth’s plight came to light after a Whatsapp video of a Saudi employer beating them with a wooden plank surfaced. The Kerala government and External Affairs Ministry then intervened to help them.

Relatives and friends welcomed the trio when they arrived at the airport in Thiruvanananthapuram, Kerala state capital, on early Saturday.

A placement agency had taken Baiju, Abilash and Vimal Kumar to Saudi Arabia a couple of months back after promising them job opportunities.

Abilash,21, told reporters that he had taken loan to build a house and had hoped that employment abroad would help him clear his loan fast.

Their relatives said it was a relief seeing their near ones back safe, the Press Trust of India reported.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier stated in New Delhi that the three men had been given police protection and the matter was being followed up.