Punjabi youths stuck in Armenia: Kapurthala travel agent arrested

KAPURTHALA/SANGRUR: Hours after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and asked him to apprehend the travel agents responsible for the plight of Punjabis stuck in Armenia, police on Thursday arrested a travel agent in Kapurthala.

Komaldeep, 27, of Jandiala in Amritsar, was working as a middleman for Armenia-based agent, Harpreet Kaur, in Kapurthala and its surrounding areas.

SSP Satinder Singh said raids are on to nab the other accused booked for sending four people to Armenia fraudulently.

On Tuesday, police had registered three FIRs against six travel agents for duping Harmanjeet Singh of Nadala town, Jatinder Singh of Amritsar , Shamsher Singh of Bholath and his wife Pinki. The agent had sent them to Armenia on travel visa after promising him a work visa in December 2018, police said.

Earlier, the CM assured Swaraj strict action against the agents. The CM also directed the DGP for appropriate action. After talking to Amarinder, Swaraj also called up to Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, who brought the issue to her notice. HTC