Kaithal: The dream of settling in Germany proved costly for a youth from Kaithal in Haryana.
How it all began
Majeed Ahmed of Kharaudi village in Kaithal wished to go to Germany but instead he was sent to Russia and then held hostage in Belarus. His father Sardar Ahmed said he and Majeed had contacted agents Kamalpreet Malhotra and his wife Ankita from Patiala after seeing their advertisement for sending people abroad on July last year. The couple quoted Rs 8.50 lakh for sending Majeed to Germany and took his passport. The couple then called the father-son duo to their office on August 1 and told that Majeed would be initially sent to Russia before he is taken to his final destination. The couple also said that Majeed's visa for Russia will be valid for around two months. The couple asked Sardar to pay Rs 4 lakh as advance and the remaining Rs 4.50 lakh after his son reached Germany. Accordingly, Sardar transferred Rs 4 lakh to an account number given to him by the couple.
Majeed reaches Russia
After this, Majeed left Delhi and reached Russia on August 12. Sardar kept talking to his son till August 18. Majeed's mobile phone then went unreachable and was switched off. When Sardar called the cpuple and inquired about the matter, they said Majeed is fine and his mobile was damaged. On August 29, the couple facilitated a conversation between Majeed and Sardar. Majeed told Sardar that he had reached Germany. As agreed earlier, Sardar then transferred the pending amount to the couple.
Kidnapped and taken to Belarus
As everything seemed fine, Majeed again went incommunicado. Sardar said he received a call from an unknown number on September 12. As he answered the call, Majeed told him that some people had kidnapped him and taken him to Belarus he was held hostage in a forest without food. Majeed said he was also beaten up and burnt with cigarettes. Majeed said as the kidnappers had threatened him with dire consequences, he had lied about reaching Germany. Majeed further said the kidnappers had snatched USD 700 from him, threw him in a forest and left. He was taken to a hospital by some passersby. Sardar said he somehow managed Majeed's return home on September 20.
Police complaint filed
Sardar then lodged a police complaint based on which Guhla police registered a case against Kamalpreet and Ankita. ASI Ramchandra has been entrusted with the investigation of the case.
Recalling his ordeal, Majeed said he reached Russia on August 12 and stayed there for only two hours. He received a call from the agent who told him that a taxi was at the airport to take him around. As Majeed got into the taxi, he saw it apart from the driver, another youth was seated on the front seat. Majeed sat in the back seat of the taxi.
After some time, the youth sitting in the front came to the back seat and put a knife on Majeed's neck. He was probably an Afghan and could speak a little Hindi, said Majeed. Two more youth got into the car on the way. "When we reached Belarus border, another taxi was parked there, in which I was made to sit. After this, I was taken to a room and kept hostage for 5-6 days and my mobile was taken away from. After this, they took me to the forest where I was kept under the open sky for two nights. On the third day, the kidnappers got a call from the agent that they were not getting the money. After this, I was tortured with a hot iron rod. I was kept hungry and thirsty for several days and was burnt with cigarettes. When the kidnappers got the money, I was dumped in the forest," Majeed said.
Surjewala raised the issue
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala raised the issue on social media and wrote in his post, "A youth from Kharaudi in Kaithal was kidnapped and tortured badly in the forests of Belarus. Due to unemployment in Haryana, there are constant reports of youths going on 'journeys of torture'. The disease of unemployment in Haryana has separated lakhs of families from their loved ones. The double engine government has completely failed in this front."
