CHANDIGARH: Two youths, one from Haryana and the other from Punjab, who took the 'Dunki' route to the US have allegedly been kidnapped and kept as hostages in Guatemala. The kidnappers have demanded USD 20,000 as ransom.
The families have requested the union government to step in and get their children back. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police has registered a case in this regard against the local travel agents.
Kuldeep Singh, father of the kidnapped youth Yuvraj Singh of Mohna village in Kaithal district of Haryana, along with villagers and locals approached the Superintendent of Police of Kaithal Rajesh Kalia yesterday requesting immediate action for their safe return.
Singh said that the kidnappers had sent a distressing video of his son being tortured at gunpoint. He added that they demanded USD 20,000 for his release.
Singh said that his son left for the US in October last year and the travel agent told him that he would send his son via the legal route.
"I gave the passport of my son to these three agents including one from Kurushetra, and the deal was done for Rs 41 lakh and he paid Rs 2 lakh in advance. They then said that the rest of the money they will take once he reached US. But while he was on the way, he took another Rs 14 lakh from me,’’ he said.
Singh said, "Then they took another Rs 8 lakh from me. These agents are hand in glove with the kidnappers. At times they say the kidnappers are demanding USD 20,000 then they say they demand 40,000 dollars."
Singh added that he met the Kaithal SP and demanded that the chidern should be brought back home safely and action should be taken against these travel agents.
"It has been three months since the family has spoken to my son. We have not spoken to him since December. The other youth is from Dasuaya in Hoshiarpur of Punjab," Singh alleged that the agents involved in the illegal migration process have since gone missing.
Another local Davinder Singh Cheema said that the family got the video of kidnapping in December, and after that it contacted the local travel agents who had sent these youth.
He said the family asked for more time as the local panchayats also approached them, but till date nothing happened and these travel agents did not get back. These agents are now absconding first they were in touch with the family.
Superintendent of Police of Kaithal Rajesh Kalia told TNIE that the family, along with villagers, contacted him yesterday and the police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the local travel agents and will be taking action against those responsible besides also writing to the concerned authorities.
