The grieving family of a young man from Punjab, who was allegedly deceived into joining the Russian army and later killed in the conflict with Ukraine, has taken a firm stand for justice. They have refused to perform his last rites until the travel agents implicated in the case are apprehended by the authorities.
A Tragic Deception and a Final Journey Home
Mandeep Kumar, a resident of Goraya, was one of several individuals who believed they were being sent to Italy for work opportunities. According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed in May 2024, his family paid a staggering Rs 31.50 lakh to agents while Mandeep and four others were in Armenia. The promised route was through Russia, Finland, and Germany.
Instead, the group was tricked into landing in Russia in December 2023 and became trapped. While the four others managed to return to India, Mandeep stayed behind and was ultimately recruited into the Russian military. His family last heard from him in March 2024.
After a long and painful wait, his mortal remains finally reached his home in Goraya late on Saturday night. It was only upon the body's arrival that most of the family learned of his death, as his brother had been handling the grim communications.
A Brother's Relentless Search and a Grim Confirmation
Driven by desperation, Mandeep's brother, Jagdeep Kumar, embarked on two arduous trips to Russia to find information. His first search in March lasted three weeks. Undeterred, he returned for a two-month-long second visit, returning to India only on November 8.
His efforts revealed a larger tragedy. Jagdeep met with Rajya Sabha member Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal in the last week of December, informing him that the Russian army had confirmed the deaths of 10 Indians. He stated that among the deceased, three were from Punjab and seven were from Uttar Pradesh and Jammu.
To formally identify his brother, Jagdeep provided his DNA sample twice. Following confirmation, Mandeep's body was flown from Russia to Delhi on Saturday. Seechewal had assisted Jagdeep's mission by arranging tickets and providing a letter to ease his travel in Russia.
A Demand for Justice Before Final Goodbyes
Heartbroken and angry, the family announced on Sunday that they would not cremate Mandeep until the agents named in the FIR are arrested. Jagdeep alleged that despite the FIR being registered in May 2024, no arrests have been made so far.
The family's resolve has found political support. Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary visited them on Sunday and expressed solidarity with their decision to withhold the cremation until action is taken against the accused.
Jagdeep remains in contact with other affected families, including that of Tejpal Singh from Amritsar, who had known about his relative's death for a year. He is also connected to families of Arvind Kumar (Lucknow), Dhirendra Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Vinod Yadav, and Yogendra Yadav, highlighting the widespread nature of this distressing issue.
