Jaipur, Jan 28 Indian citizens from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu were allegedly fraudulently recruited into the Russian armed forces after being lured by travel agents with false promises of civilian employment.
On Wednesday, families of 24 such Indian youths currently stranded in Russia met Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) President and Nagaur Lok Sabha MP Hanuman Beniwal at his Delhi residence.
The families of the 24 stranded youths expressed deep anguish and grave concern for the safety and lives of their loved ones.
Lok Sabha MP Beniwal said that the families are undergoing extreme mental distress due to the lack of information about the whereabouts and well-being of the youths trapped in the conflict zone.
The Nagaur MP has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, and Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Referring to the Ministry of External Affairs' response provided during the Winter session of the Parliament, Beniwal highlighted that a total of 211 Indian citizens were found to be involved in this matter.
Of these, 121 have been repatriated, 63 remain in service -- some of whom are reportedly missing -- and 27 Indian citizens have tragically lost their lives.
Beniwal emphasised that these figures underscore the gravity of the crisis.
He urged the Indian government to intervene urgently, prioritise the safety and repatriation of the remaining Indian citizens, provide relief to their families, and ensure transparent communication regarding the current status of the missing youths.
RLP Chief Beniwal in December last year had urged the Centre to initiate diplomatic efforts to secure the safe return of Indian students from Russia.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Beniwal drew External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's attention to what he described as a serious humanitarian matter.
He said that these youths, including several from Rajasthan, had travelled to Russia on study and work visas but were allegedly deceived by travel agents and pushed into military roles in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
According to Lok Sabha MP Beniwal, the families of these citizens were not in contact with the missing youths for the last three to four months.
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