JALANDHAR — In a grim reminder of the dangers posed by fraudulent immigration networks, a young man from Jalandhar has shared a series of distressing video appeals from Russia after being abandoned by a travel agent. Akashdeep, a resident of Ramnagar, fell prey to a false job promise that ultimately left him stranded in a remote forest, with fears mounting that victims are being funnelled toward Russian military recruitment.
False Promises and a Tourist Visa Trap
According to Akashdeep, he contracted a Jalandhar-based travel agent named Pawan Kumar to secure employment abroad. The agent promised a lucrative work visa for a fruit-picking job in Moscow, complete with high pay, air-conditioned accommodations, and quality meals.
Trusting these assurances, Akashdeep boarded a flight from Delhi to Moscow on June 15, 2026. However, the reality on the ground proved entirely different. Upon arrival, he discovered he had been issued a tourist visa rather than a work visa. When he confronted the agent, the response was dismissive.
“The agent told me, ‘It was my responsibility to send you. I landed you on Russian soil. Now my responsibility is over. Now you take care of your work. If anything happens to you here, I will not be responsible,'” Akashdeep recounted in his video.
Abandoned in a Forest Junkyard
Upon landing at Moscow airport, Akashdeep and approximately ten other young men—primarily from Haryana and Rajasthan—were picked up by local associates of the agent. Instead of housing or employment, they were driven deep into a dense forest and left in a dilapidated, bathroom-sized room within a junkyard.
The victims were forced to sleep on stacked bunk beds in deplorable conditions, with broken doors and no sanitation facilities. Local handlers refused to move them further, claiming they had not yet received payments from the agent in India.
“There is a dense forest around. I do not see any way out of here,” Akashdeep said, breaking down as he mentioned that his mother is currently hospitalized back in Jalandhar.
A Wider Nexus Uncovered
Akashdeep’s ordeal highlights a growing pattern of trafficking and deception. He warned that young men from northern states are being systematically targeted.
“Do not fall for the tricks of any agent and do not come to Russia,” Akashdeep appealed in his videos. “All the agents are sending the youth here to recruit them in the Russian army. Many youth from Haryana and Rajasthan have been pushed into war.”
The expose serves as an urgent cautionary tale for aspirants seeking overseas employment through unregulated channels, underscoring the severe risks of falling victim to unscrupulous travel agents.
Leave a Reply