Eyeing greener pastures, youths fall prey to unauthorised travel agents

Jaswant Shetra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 24

Youths eyeing greener pastures continue to fall prey to fraud travel agents.

Despite several cases being reported, the number of people falling victims to fraud travel agents is only increasing. Hardly a day passes, when we do not hear about people being duped.

To cash in on this increasing trend, a large number of immigration firms have mushroomed in the region. Apart from Ludhiana city, several travel agents are operating in towns and in rural areas as well. Sources say illegal travel agents operating in rural areas are the ones committing fraud.

In 2018, over 300 cases were registered against fraud travel agents in the district, whi have ruined the lives of thousands of youths in Punjab. There are hundreds of youths, who are trapped in the middle-east or gulf region due to such people.

Ignorance towards immigration laws is the main reason behind people being duped. “Most of the people who have been duped belong to rural areas and they have no knowledge about immigration laws. Today, information about immigration is available online and people aspiring to go abroad shall first check immigration rules. Besides, people also need to check the credibility of travel agency through which they have been applying for visa,” said Atamjit Singh, who operates an immigration agency.

Though the police have undertaken various initiatives to check this menace, people still fall into the trap.

ADCP Ludhiana Surendra Lamba said the Punjab Police have been organising seminars and camps to make people aware about immigration services. “We have registered more than 300 cases against fraud travel agents in the past. People willing to go abroad need to be careful and apply for visas through registered travel agencies. They should visit police Sanhj Kendras to check if a travel agency they are going to deal with is registered with the government or not,” he said.