MP Satnam Singh Sandhu wrote a letter to MEA, demanding the safe return of four youths from Punjab and Haryana stranded in Ethiopia
CHANDIGARH: Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu has requested the Ministry of External Affairs' immediate intervention to ensure the safe return of four youths from Punjab and Haryana stranded in Ethiopia. The four youths had traveled to Ethiopia on tourist visas but were abducted after leaving the airport. After escaping the clutches of their alleged kidnappers, they are in the custody of immigration officials there.
In a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs, MP Satnam Singh Sandhu stated that the families of these four youths (two from Punjab and two from Haryana) are under severe mental stress and concern for their lives and safety. He urged the Ministry to immediately intervene in the matter and ensure the safe return of Gaurav (Phagwara, Kapurthala, Punjab), Manjeet Singh (Rahimabad, Kalanaur, Gurdaspur, Punjab), Sukhwinder Singh Kakrala, and Surjeet Singh Cheeka (both residents of Kaithal, Haryana) to India.
The MP said, "I have raised the issue of the Punjab youth stranded in Ethiopia with the Ministry of External Affairs and am closely monitoring the entire development and coordinating with the concerned authorities to ensure their return to India." He assured all possible assistance.
He further said, "The Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is extremely sensitive to such humanitarian issues. Whenever we bring such cases to the government's attention, it takes immediate action. I am confident that all four youth will be brought back to India safely soon." Sharing details of the incident, MP Sandhu said, "It is a very concerning and serious matter that our youth from Punjab and Haryana were kidnapped in Ethiopia, tortured, and injured with sharp weapons. Their money and belongings were snatched. These four youths had traveled to Ethiopia on tourist visas or otherwise. However, when they left the airport, their kidnappers lured them under the pretext of dropping them off at a hotel; one of them spoke Punjabi and was Pakistani. Instead of the hotel, they took these youths to another location where they were tortured. The MP said that the videos and photographs of these youths are shocking, as they have wounds from sharp weapons on their hands and feet. This is a very serious matter. I am raising this issue with the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia and the Union Ministry of External Affairs."
He further said, “It is a matter of great concern that such incidents are continuously occurring with young people going to other countries. We have begun efforts to trace these young people and will make every effort to bring them back. However, I would like to urge everyone to avoid going to vulnerable places where there is danger. In the past, we have been successful in resolving all such cases that have come to my attention and bringing back Indian youth facing difficulties and challenges abroad. We will strive to locate these four young people, including Gaurav, and ensure their safe return to their parents. But the biggest concern is why such circumstances have arisen that our youth are willing to take such risks and leave Punjab. This is a matter of concern for us. We must all work to provide necessary opportunities in our state so that young people can engage in constructive work and do not have to leave the state and go abroad. This is the need of the hour.”
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