The Karnal police have registered two separate cases against immigration agents after two men from the district were allegedly harassed and beaten in Tehran while attempting to reach Spain via Iran through the illegal “donkey route.”
The families approached the police after receiving disturbing videos showing the men being beaten naked while the attackers demanded money and issued threats.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia said the cases were filed at the Nigdhu and Karnal Sadar police stations based on complaints from the victims’ families. “We have received videos and contact numbers related to the incident, which have been forwarded to the concerned authorities to facilitate the safe rescue of both men. I once again urge youth and their families to opt for legal means to settle abroad and not risk their lives and money through illegal agents,” he added.
According to the police, the victims have been identified as Ritik, 25, of Jamba village, and Pawan, 40, of Dadupur village in Karnal. They were allegedly assaulted in Tehran, and the agents demanded ransom from their families.
The families approached the police after receiving disturbing videos showing the men being beaten naked while the attackers demanded money and issued threats.
Ritik’s brother, Ankit, said his brother had long wanted to go abroad to earn a better living but had failed in previous attempts. “Ritik and Pawan later came in contact with an agent who promised to send them to Spain for a large sum of money,” he said.
Earlier this week, 54 men from Haryana — including 16 from Karnal — were deported from the United States for travelling illegally. SP Punia said no formal complaint had been received in that case so far.
Kaithal youth killed by “donkers” in South America
In a separate incident, a young man from Mohna village in Kaithal district was allegedly killed by donkers in a South American country after his family failed to pay ransom on time.
The victim, 18-year-old Yuvraj, was the only child of Kuldeep Singh. His family said he had left for the United States in October year via an illegal route arranged by three agents, who took ₹40-41 lakhs initially and later demanded another ₹5 lakh.
“They kept delaying his journey, and we paid them several times. Later, Yuvraj was kidnapped by donkers, who sent us a video of him pleading for help after being beaten. The agents assured us he would be safe, but he was already dead,” said one of Yuvraj’s uncles.
Kuldeep alleged that they submitted a written complaint to the police in March this year, but the cops did not take timely action and agents delayed the transfer of money to the donkers.
“We paid another ₹3-4 lakh to a donker who confirmed his death this week and arranged photos of the death certificate and his dead body, which was cremated by them. The agents have since been arrested,” the father said.
The family organised a prayer meeting in the memory of their son at the village on Thursday.