Ludhiana youth goes missing in Belarus, agent couple booked

Eight months after a 26-year-old city resident went missing in Belarus after allegedly being sent through the illegal ‘dunki’ route, police have booked a local travel agent couple.

The victim, Deepak Kumar, last contacted his family on July 23, 2024. Despite repeated pleas, the family has received no information about his whereabouts, while the accused couple, who took over ₹5.72 lakh and 1,500 US dollars ( ₹1.28 lakh approx), has fled after locking their house.

The accused have been identified as Varinder Singh, of Dharampura and his wife Sunita Sharma, said police. The couple are parents of alleged gangster Rishav Benipal, and locals claim they are too afraid to provide any information to the family or the police.

Vijay Kumar, father of missing youth, of Gurmel Park on Tibba Road in his complaint to the police said that he last spoke to his son on July 23 last year. Varinder later told them that Deepak had been caught crossing the border illegally and would be deported to New Delhi by August 15, Kumar added. However, Deepak never arrived, and the accused couple disappeared, switching off their phones and vacating their residence, he further told police.

As per the complaint, Deepak was interested in going abroad, and the family came in contact with the accused through a mutual acquaintance. The agent demanded ₹11.5 lakh to send Deepak to the Netherlands on a valid visa, of which ₹5.72 lakh was paid in advance.

“Varinder took my son to Delhi on June 13 under the pretext of catching a flight to the Netherlands. He was kept at a hotel in Paharganj for several days on the excuse that other aspirants were yet to receive their visas. On June 24, Deepak was flown to Russia via Dubai,” said Vijay Kumar.

Once in Russia, Deepak was allegedly robbed by the agents’ aides, who took away his passport and 1,500 US dollars. “We later learned they planned to take him to the Netherlands via illegal routes. I protested, but the agents reassured us that they had links in the Russian army and Deepak would be safe,” the father added.

Deepak was moved to Belarus on June 27, 2024, where he stayed until July 23. That day was the last time he contacted his family, his father added. Varinder Singh claimed Deepak had been detained while crossing the border and would be deported by mid-August. When that didn’t happen, the family tried to confront the agents, only to find them gone, he further told police.

Assistant sub-inspector Pyara Singh, who is investigating the case, confirmed that a complaint was received on August 23, 2024, and an FIR was registered on Thursday evening following preliminary investigations. The accused have been booked under sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

A search operation is underway to trace and arrest the absconding couple, said police.