Three Indian Citizens Missing in Iran After Falling Prey to Dunki Route Scam
Three Indians Missing in Iran: Embassy Seeks Urgent Help from Tehran Authorities
In a chilling turn of events, three Indian citizens have gone missing in Iran, sparking serious concern for their safety and well-being. The Embassy of India in Tehran confirmed on Wednesday that the men, all hailing from Punjab, have not been heard from since early May. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Indian mission revealed that they have taken up the matter urgently with Iranian authorities, demanding that the missing nationals be traced and protected.
“Families of 3 Indians have informed the Embassy of India that their relatives are missing after having travelled 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,” read the official statement.
The Iran Connection: How a Dream Turned into a Nightmare
The missing individuals – identified as residents of Sangrur, Nawanshahr, and Hoshiarpur districts in Punjab – had left India with hopes of reaching Australia on a work visa. But what was sold to them as a legitimate migration path turned into a web of deceit. Travel agents reportedly misled them, taking them to Iran under the pretense of a temporary stopover, part of the dangerous and illegal Dunki route.
Their dreams were cut short when the families began receiving disturbing images and videos – the young men seen with ropes tied around their hands, bruises on their bodies, and expressions of helplessness. The families allege the three were abducted around May 1, and that their captors have since demanded a ransom.
Voices of Despair from Punjab
Kulwinder Kaur, the mother of Husnpreet from Sangrur, recounted the harrowing ordeal.
“We spoke to him for a few days after May 1. Then the calls stopped. They sent us photos of my son tied up and injured. They want money. These agents have destroyed our lives,” she said, her voice choked with emotion.
The families claim the last communication with their sons was on May 11. Since then, silence has been deafening. The man from Hoshiarpur, believed to be the local agent who facilitated their travel, has gone underground. A formal police complaint has been filed against him.
Efforts Intensify to Locate the Missing
The Indian Embassy in Tehran has assured the families that every diplomatic channel is being used to trace the missing citizens. Regular updates are being shared with the families, though the anxiety on the ground is mounting.
In Punjab, the families of the missing – including relatives of Amritpal from Hoshiarpur – have met with Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and MP Dr. Rajkumar, urging them to escalate the matter with both national and international agencies.
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