Tricked and trapped in war zone, two Jammu youth plead for help amid Russia-Ukraine conflict

Two youth from the Akhnoor region of Jammu and Kashmir, namely Sachin Khajuria and Sumit Sharma, have been trapped in the Russia-Ukraine war zone for the past several weeks.
This tragic incident came to light when their families reported that they were lured to Russia by agents with false promises, only to be tricked into entering the war-torn region.

Sachin Khajuria's father, Banarasi Lal, a native of Pahariwala village in Palanwalla sector of Khour tehsil of Akhnoor, told International Business Times, "About 15 days ago, my son called and told us that he had been tricked into entering the war zone. He was terrified and crying, asking us to somehow rescue him from Russia and bring him back home."

Agents' Trap and Deception

The families say that the two young men were promised higher education and part-time jobs in Russia. The agents promised that they would be employed in non-combat jobs—such as construction—while studying. However, upon arriving in Russia, their passports and documents were confiscated, and they were forced directly into military operations.

According to the families, a female agent named Anastasia is behind this entire fraud, luring the young men with attractive offers. This agent is defrauding young people from different parts of India under the guise of sending them abroad.

Families are running around politicians and officials

Banarsi Lal said they have been meeting with politicians and officials for the past twenty days. "We went to Jugal Kishore Sharma, who conveyed our message to Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Now, our last hope is the government," he said.

Recognizing the gravity of the matter, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma also raised the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs.

"This is a case of extreme humanitarian crisis. These are innocent boys who were lured and deceitfully sent to a war zone. I have requested the Foreign Minister to intervene immediately and ask the Russian government to ensure their safe return", Jugal Kishore Sharma told International Business Times.

"As soon as the family brought the matter to my notice, I raised this issue with the Ministry of External Affairs", the Lok Sabha member from Jammu said.

Ministry of External Affairs Takes Notice

According to sources, the Ministry of External Affairs has initiated action on the matter. The Indian Embassy in Moscow has been asked for information on the status and location of the two young men. It is expected that diplomatic talks with the Russian government will be conducted to secure their safe return.

Families in a state of grief

Sachin and Sumit's families are currently going through a very difficult time. They have been unable to contact their children properly, nor have they received any concrete information about their safety. Sachin's father says, "We only want our son's safety. Everything else will come later. We have no peace until he returns home."

Sumit Sharma's family also says that their son was misled and sent to the war zone, and it has become a matter of life and death.

Youth's dreams betrayed

This incident once again exposes the reality of dangerous, fraudulent agents who lure young people to the brink of death by luring them with the dream of studying and working abroad. Complaints are emerging from various parts of the country, not just Jammu, that Indian youth are being lured to Russia and forced into war.

The government has previously appealed for caution against such fraud, but the cases of Sachin and Sumit are now making this threat even more serious.

Eyes on the Government

These two families from Akhnoor are now solely focused on the Indian government. Their last hope is that the Ministry of External Affairs' efforts bear fruit and their sons return home safely.

The families' emotions are evident in their words. "Just that our children return alive. That is our biggest prayer," one family member said with folded hands.