Kaithal cops bust illegal immigration racket; five youths rescued from Libya

The rescue of five youths — three from Kaithal district and two from Ferozepur in Punjab — from Libya has once again laid bare the growing network of illegal immigration and human trafficking thriving across the region. The Kaithal police carried out the rescue operation after tracing the gang that had allegedly held the youths hostage.

According to police investigations, several fraudulent agents posing as overseas employment facilitators continue to ensnare young job seekers with false promises of lucrative careers and better lives in countries like the US, Canada and Australia.

The pattern, officers say, is not new. Over the past three years, Kaithal police have arrested 21 persons in connection with human trafficking, kidnapping and extortion and rescued 19 victims from their clutches.

Last week’s operation followed a similar modus operandi. The gang allegedly kidnapped youths under the pretext of sending them to Canada and later demanded ransom. Acting on leads, the police rescued five hostages from Libya and arrested one accused.

This was not the first time such a racket was busted in Kaithal. In November 2022, police uncovered a case in which Vikram, a resident of Bakal village, was promised a job in Canada for Rs 32 lakh but was instead kidnapped in Kolkata. He was held at gunpoint for 10 days and forced to tell his family that he had reached Canada so they would transfer the money. The police later arrested eight members of the gang and rescued six victims, including two girls who had been tied up with ropes.

In April 2025, another youth, Ankit from Kaithal district, was rescued from Jammu after being duped with a promise of a Canadian visa for Rs 19 lakh. He was held hostage and forced to pay Rs 25 lakh before the police arrested six persons, including a woman, in the case.

A similar incident was reported in September 2025, when two youths travelling to Australia via Iran were abducted by local criminals. Their families were asked to pay a ransom of Rs 80 lakh, of which Rs 45 lakh had already been transferred before the Kaithal police, with cyber assistance, tracked their location and alerted the Indian Embassy to secure their safe return.

Confirming the trend, Kaithal Superintendent of Police Upasana said several illegal agents have recently been found involved in kidnapping and extortion.

“We have solved a few cases in the recent past with similar methods. I appeal to the youth not to take illegal routes to go abroad but to use legal channels and authorised agents for visa processing,” she said.

The SP further cautioned that many families have fallen prey to such fraudulent networks, investing their life savings in hopes of a better future for their children.

“Some agents convince young men and their families to invest everything they have with false promises, only to exploit them later,” she added, noting that several victims reported being denied food, beaten or held captive until ransom payments were made.

The police have intensified efforts to crack down on such rackets and urged people to verify the credentials of any travel or visa agent before proceeding with overseas job offers.