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Dubai: Police are investigating whether the door of a flat where a club dancer died when a fire broke out on Monday night was locked.
Aaina Malek, a Pakistani dancer, died in the apartment when the fire broke out as she could not escape. Another girl, Lucky, who was also trapped in the fire, was rescued by neighbours after they broke the door open.
"We are investigating the case," said a senior police official.
He said that locking people up is a criminal offence and legal action can be taken against them.
The death of Aaina could have been averted if the flat had not been locked, said witnesses.
Two Pakistani girls, Aaina and Lucky (their stage names), were trapped and could not escape the flames because they did not have the key, Gulf News has learned.
Left behind for a rest
Aaina's original name was Sana'a Malek while Lucky's real name is Tahira Hajjab. Both are from Karachi.
Aaina was 19 and had been performing in Dubai for the last year and a half.
"While all the girls had been taken to perform in the club, both of them were supposed to join them later because they wanted to rest a bit after their flight for visa change on Monday evening," a close friend of the girls told Gulf News.
"They normally keep the girls, who perform in dance clubs, locked in their flats during the day for 'safety' reasons," said a dancer, who works at another club.
"It is quite common and the management of many Indian and Pakistani night-clubs follows the same practice.
"We are taken to clubs around 8pm and brought back to flats after 3am when the clubs close. We are not allowed to go anywhere. We are given food in the flat and we live like prisoners," she said.
Several girls and employees of other clubs also confirmed this.
When contacted, the management of the club refused to comment.
"We have given information to police. It is not our fault. Come with legal papers if you want information from us," one of the top managers told Gulf News. The same management runs similar clubs in some other hotels in Bur Dubai and Deira.
The dance club where Aaina performed was closed for the last two nights.
Kiran, a bar dancer at a Deira club, said that there had been many incidents when girls have fallen sick but could not get the much needed medical attention on time.
"Such an incident was expected. We are always scared because we cannot get out of flats during an emergency," she said.
There are more than 150 Asian dance clubs in Dubai where hundreds of girls perform every night. They are mainly brought from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
They normally come on a three-month visit visa and their visas are renewed if their performance is appreciated by customers, otherwise they are sent back.
"They are paid hefty salaries and a good performer earns up to Dh8,000 to Dh15,000 per month apart from gifts from customers," said a manager of a night club.
- With inputs from Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
Your comments
I have personal experience about that. I used to go to a club in Deira. There the staff treats them like slaves. One girl said she has not gone out for three months. I think the government should take some action.
I don?t think if any human rights organisation knows yet what?s going on in these clubs.
Amjad
Manchester,UK
Posted: August 02, 2007, 15:41
I know it is very common to lock these dance girls in flats. It is not at all acceptable. Come on, we are all human beings; let us respect each other. I know in this particular case, the room was locked as one of the tenants of the building is my friend. I request the authorities to stop this practice at least now. I believe Dubai is the safest place in the world.
Mohan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 02, 2007, 15:20
If I had to decide I would close down the club itself.
Fardin
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 02, 2007, 14:47
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