NAPA Demands Urgent Action to Trace 14 Missing Indian Youths Forcibly Recruited into the Russian Military

Jalandhar/Chandigarh -The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal, in a press release issued here, has expressed deep concern and outrage over the plight of 126 Indian youths who were deceived by fraudulent agents and forcibly recruited into the Russian military. Chahal has called on the Government of India to take immediate and decisive action to locate the 14 individuals who remain missing and bring justice to the families whose lives have been shattered by this horrifying ordeal.

According to sources, many of these youths were misled with promises of legitimate employment in Europe but were instead trafficked into Russia, where they were given minimal training and forced into combat. One such victim is Mandeep Kumar, a physically disabled young man, who was reportedly beaten, handed a machine gun, and forced to train as a sniper, despite his medical condition. His brother, Jagdeep Singh, continues to search for him and has made a heartfelt appeal for help, sharing the immense pain and uncertainty his family has been forced to endure.

While approximately 100 of the 126 youths have managed to return home—many of them wounded and emotionally traumatised—14 remain unaccounted for. Among them are 9 from Uttar Pradesh, 3 from Punjab, 1 from Maharashtra, and 1 from Jammu & Kashmir. Their families are living in anguish, desperate for answers and support from the government.

Satnam Singh Chahal strongly condemned the role of unethical recruitment agents, reportedly operating from Kolkata and Punjab, who manipulated vulnerable young men and led them into the hands of foreign military forces. He emphasised that Russia’s unauthorised recruitment of Indian citizens constitutes a gross violation of international law and human rights.

In his statement, Chahal demanded that the Indian government act swiftly by launching a full diplomatic inquiry with Russian authorities, working to locate and rescue the missing individuals, and prosecuting the agents responsible for this human trafficking network. He added that the silence from official channels is deeply troubling and that the affected families deserve not only answers but immediate action.

NAPA stands in complete solidarity with these families and urges the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to escalate diplomatic efforts and ensure that the voices of the victims do not fade into silence. The time to act is now—before more lives are lost to this shameful tragedy.

 

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