4 Punjabis stuck in Armenia seek help from Mann on video
KAPURTHALA/SANGRUR: In another case of foreign dream going sore, four youths stuck in Armenia have uploaded a video on social media, requesting Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann to bring them back. Kapurthala police have booked six people, including an Armenia-based travel agent, for fraudulently sending them to Armenia on tourist visa in December last year after promising work visa.
Kapurthala police on Tuesday registered two different FIRS and named Armenia-based travel agents Harpreet Kaur and Gurdev Singh, Paramjeet Kaur, Parminder Kaur of Dhilwan, Komaldeep of Jandiala and Jaswinder Kaur of Beas in Amritsar under Section 420 (cheating) and Section 13 of Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act 2012.
Jatinder Singh of Amritsar district; Shamsher Singh of Bholath, his wife Pinki, and one unidentified person shared a video on social media in which they sought the help of Mann. They urged Mann to take action against the travel agents, alleging that a group of seven travel agents from Dhilwan and Patti duped them of ₹4 lakh each and fraudulently sent them on tourist visa to Armenia.
In the video, the youths claimed that they did not have food for five days and the landlord has asked them to leave the place.
Shamsher’s brother Jagdeep Singh, 28, of Kapurthala said he came in contact with Armeniabased travel agent through his friend Gurdev Singh. “We paid around ₹4 lakh for work visa of my brother Shamsher and his wife Pinki. They left the country on December 3 last year but did not get any work and were living a miserable life for two months,” he said, adding that Punjab Police did not act even as a complaint was lodged at Dhilwan police station 15 days back.
Mann said as soon as he gets the details, he will forward the case to the ministry of foreign affairs. “I have shared the video on my social media accounts and I hope the youths will return soon. Many people come to me regularly with such cases. I appeal to the people that they should check the authenticity of the agents and the prospects in foreign countries in advance,” he said.
Taking a jibe at the Punjab government, Mann said, “Even after so many cases and appeals, the government is not taking action against the travel agents. They should shut shops of all unregistered travel agents.”
Deputy superintendent of police (Bholath) Davinder Singh said two FIRS have been registered on the basis of the statements by the family members of the trapped youths. “One agent is settled in Armenia while other accused are at large. Raids are on to nab them,” he said.