The Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association has written to the Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Sinha, to seek intervention in the early facilitation of the repatriation of two Kashmiri youths—one trapped along the Russia-Ukraine border and another reportedly missing within Russia. In a statement, the national convenor of the association, Nasir Khuehami, said that Azad Yusuf Kumar and several others have been ensnared in a fraudulent recruitment scheme, wherein they were deceived into travelling to Russia under false promises of job opportunities in cooking and cleaning.
The ordeal, the communiqué reads, began when Azad came across a YouTube channel named “Baba Vlogs,” operated by a consultant named Faisal Khan, based in Dubai. Faisal purported to offer job opportunities in cooking and cleaning, which align with Azad’s skills. Azad travelled from Mumbai to Sharjah, where he was then provided tickets to Moscow, Russia. Upon arrival in Russia, Azad and his companions were made to sign agreements written in Russian, despite not understanding the language and requesting assistance. They were subsequently handed over to the Russian Army, where they underwent a 15-day training before being deployed to the Ukraine border.
“Azad’s family is distraught by this deception and is fervently pleading for his safe return. He has sustained injuries and is currently stranded on the border. The family has provided documentation of the signed agreement in Russian, Azad’s current location, his photograph, and his IMO number, which he has been using to contact them intermittently,” reads the communiqué.
Khuehami said that another Kashmiri, Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Hajinar Tangdar area of Kupwara, has gone missing in Russia, causing deep concern among his family and loved ones. Zahoor, employed in a private capacity in Chandigarh, travelled to Russia in December 2023 with two companions, Arbaab from Uttar Pradesh, and Asfaan from Hyderabad,” reads the communiqué, adding, “His sudden disappearance necessitates urgent assistance from the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure his safe return.
In light of these distressing situations, Khuehami said that we request the Ministry of External Affairs to launch a thorough investigation into both cases, locate Azad Yusuf Kumar and Kashmiri Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh, and facilitate their prompt repatriation to their families without delay.” Your intervention is crucial to alleviating the suffering of these Jammu and Kashmir citizens and reuniting them with their loved ones, he said while requesting the minister’s immediate intervention.
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