Kathunangal village youth leaves for USA via ‘dunki’ route, goes missing

Despite repeated instances of people being cheated by fake travel agents who send gullible youth on the dangerous ‘dunki’ route to reach USA in search of greener pastures, people are not learning their lessons.

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In a recent incident, a youth from Patalpuri village in Kathunangal area has been missing for the past six months. The victim Jeetpal had last spoken to his family around six months ago when he was yet to reach Mexico.

The family sold their land and took loan from a commission agent to arrange Rs 44 lakh for sending their son. And now, they do not know the whereabouts of their son.

Mukerian-based fake travel agent Ranjit Singh, a resident of Palaki village in Hoshiarpur, told him that he was held captive by ‘donkers’ who were seeking ransom for his release and to facilitate his further journey.

Apart from Ranjit Singh, originally a garment trader, the Kathunangal police have booked Pallavi, a resident of Dina Nagar (Gurdaspur), who had introduced the family to him. The FIR was registered under section 318 (4) and 61 (2) of BNS added with section 13 of Punjab Travel Professions Regulation Act that pertains to human smuggling activities.

“We last heard from him on December 21, 2024, and since then there has been no contact with him,” said Inderpal, father of the victim youth.

“We have given whatever amount we had and then Ranjit Singh demanded more money for releasing Jeetpal,” he said. He alleged that the accused were now threatening them.

The family lodged a complaint with the police on May 12 and after a preliminary probe, the police registered a case on Tuesday (June 24).

Jaswinder Singh,

SHO, Kathunangal police station, said that the accused were yet to be arrested while further investigations in the case was in progress.