Three Indian youths missing in Iran; embassy says matter taken up with Tehran
The three missing youths, from Punjab’s Sangrur, SBS Nagar, and Hoshiarpur, reportedly went missing shortly after landing in Tehran on May 2
Three Indian youths have gone missing after travelling to Iran from Punjab, the Indian Embassy in Iran said on Wednesday (May 28). The embassy in a post on X further stated that they have urged the Iranian authorities to trace the missing Indian youths urgently.
According to media reports, the three missing youths, identified as Hushanpreet Singh, Jaspal Singh, and Amritpal Singh, travelled to Iran from Punjab’s Sangrur, SBS Nagar, and Hoshiarpur, respectively. They reportedly went missing shortly after landing in Tehran on May 2.
‘Urgently trace missing Indians’
“Family members of 3 Indian citizens have informed the Embassy of India that their relatives are missing after having traveled to Iran. The Embassy has strongly taken up this matter with the Iranian authorities, and requested that the missing Indians should be urgently traced and their safety should be ensured,” the Indian Embassy said in a statement posted on X.
The embassy further stated that it was in touch with the families of the three missing youths and was regularly updating them on the efforts to trace Hushanpreet, Jaspal and Amritpal.
“We are also keeping the family members regularly updated of the efforts being made by the Embassy,” added the embassy.
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Held captive by traffickers
The three youths are being allegedly held captive by traffickers who have demanded a large sum from their families for their release, say media reports.
The families reportedly got a video from the kidnappers of the three men tied up in yellow ropes with blood oozing from their arms. Hushanpreet’s mother reportedly said travel agents took money from them but sent the three youths to Iran by the “dunki” route instead.
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Captors demanding Rs 18 lakh
Citing the police complaint filed by Amritpal’s mother, media reports say she received a call from him soon after he reached Tehran on May 2, saying that he would soon be on his way to Australia.
But after an hour, she reportedly got another call from Amritpal. This time he said that he and two other youths had been kidnapped and their captors were demanding money from them claiming that that their agents had not paid them.
Amritpal’s mother further stated that the captors demanded that the three families transfer Rs 18 lakh to them via money gram. She tried to contact the travel agents but came to know that they had fled their homes and their phones were also switched off.