JAMMU — A 24-year-old youth from Jammu’s R S Pura sector, who had travelled to Russia on a student visa in search of better opportunities, returned home in a coffin, with his family alleging that he was lured into joining the Russian Army under false promises.
Manjinder Singh had travelled to Russia in December 2024 hoping to pursue higher education and support his family. Months later, he was killed while deployed in eastern Ukraine, plunging his family and villagers in Gowana into grief.
According to his family, Manjinder spent seven to eight months studying and working part-time before allegedly coming into contact with agents who lured him and other Indian youths with promised high salaries — reportedly up to Rs 1 crore for a one-year contract — and assured him that the job would be non-combat in nature.
“They told the boys they would only be moving materials or working behind the lines. Some money was even deposited into a Russian account to gain trust,” said his cousin Ravinder Singh.
In early August, Manjinder joined the Russian Army without informing his family and underwent around 15 days of training at a facility reportedly located several hundred kilometres from Moscow. His family learned about it nearly two weeks later.
“I asked him to return immediately, but he said it was no longer possible,” Ravinder said, adding that the family last spoke to him on August 20. His phone went silent the next day.
After months without contact, the family approached the Indian Embassy in Russia and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In early February, they were informed that Manjinder had been deployed in eastern Ukraine and died on January 28, reportedly due to drone strike or artillery shelling.
Due heavy shelling in the area, his body could not be recovered for weeks. When it was retrieved, it was reportedly in an advanced state of decomposition and was later chemically preserved before being placed in a mortuary. The officials asked the family whether they wished to conduct the last rites in Russia or repatriate the body.
After the family chose to perform his last rites in his native Gowana village in R S Pura Jammu, his mortal remains arrived in Delhi from Russia on Friday and were taken to his native village on Saturday, where large numbers of residents gathered for his final rites, casting a shadow of grief across the village.
Family members allege Manjinder is not an isolated case and claim several Indian youths have been similarly recruited over the past few years — some missing, some returned and some killed.
His uncle Jaswant Singh questioned how civilians or students could be sent to a conflict zone after barely two weeks of training and urged stronger government intervention.
Senior Congress leader and District Development Council member Taranjit Singh Tony termed the incident “deeply alarming,” alleging that Indian youths are being exploited through fake job promises and misleading assurances.
“These are students and labourers, not trained soldiers. The Government of India must intervene diplomatically and ensure no more families suffer such tragedies,” he said.
The family also raised concerns about unemployment and lack of opportunities at home, urging greater awareness among young people and decisive action to prevent alleged overseas recruitment schemes. — (PTI)