Balachaur man feared drowned: Nawanshahr DC seeks MEA inquiry

BALACHAUR(NAWAN SHAHR) : Deputy commissioner Vinay Bublani on Thursday appealed the state home department to ask ministry of external affairs to inquire into the case of a 26-year-old Balachaur man, who was feared drowned while crossing a river to reach Greece from Turkey ‘illegally’.

“You are requested to take up the said matter with the secretary CPV (consular, passport, visa), ministry of external affairs,” Bublani has stated in his letter to the additional chief secretary, department of home affairs and justice, Punjab.

Manjinder Kumar of Majhot village had on June 19 boarded a flight from Delhi after his travel agent Rakesh Kumar assured his family to send him to Greece for ₹5.5 lakh.

His family on Monday received a call from a youth, who claimed of accompanying him, saying that Manjinder died while crossing a river to reach Greece.

Following the complaint by victim’s father Tarsem Lal, the Balachaur police had registered a case against Rakesh Kumar, his wife Bholli and an unidentified person.

Though no arrest has been made so far, a three-member SIT has been set up.

“We are verifying the authenticity of the call and trying to know the exact status of Majinder,” said SIT head Deepak Hilori, Nawanshahr SSP, adding that police were also ascertaining the angle of human smuggling.

FAMILY’S HOPE STILL ALIVE

“I want my son back in any condition. Till government does not give us any formal intimation, I won’t belive that my son is dead. I appeal the state government to verify the truth,” his father said.