Some Indian recruits have alleged that they were promised non-combatant roles, but they were trained to use weapons before being sent to Ukraine.
The death of a 30-year-old man from Telangana who was duped into fighting the war in Ukraine has brought anxiety to the family of another such young man stranded in Russia. Syed Nawaz Ali, a head constable with the Karnataka Police, said he’s unable to contact his son and doesn’t “know whether he is alive”, reported The Indian Express.
“What should we do and whom do we need to approach? I want to see my son come back alive,” Ali was quoted as saying.
It has recently been revealed that three youths hailing from Kalaburagi, Karnataka, who ventured to Russia for employment as security guards, are now allegedly ensnared in a private military outfit and dispatched to the Russia-Ukraine border.
Syed Nawaz Ali last month penned a letter to Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Tarannum and state minister Priyank Kharge, urging immediate action to repatriate his son and companions.
The Karnataka government wrote to the External Affairs Ministry to take this matter seriously and come to their rescue immediately.
In what is said to be a “job fraud”, three from Kalaburagi district and one from neighbouring Telangana got stranded on the Russia-Ukraine border, after they were allegedly sent to Russia by their recruiters with a promise that they will be working as army security helpers, but were being forced to fight in Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine against their will.
The Indian Embassy in Moscow on Wednesday confirmed the death of the man from Telangana, identified as Mohammed Asfan, adding that they are in touch with the family here.
“We have learnt about the tragic death of an Indian national Shri Mohammed Asfan. We are in touch with the family and Russian authorities. Mission will make efforts to send his mortal remains to India,” Indian embassy in Moscow said in a post on ‘X’.
After the confirmation of Asfan’s death, Syed Nawaz Ali, talking about his son Syed Ilyas Hussaini, said, “He came home in December and stayed here for some days. It has been five days that we have been able to talk to Hussaini. He is not reachable and we do not know whether he is alive. I beg the government to save my child.”
