Captivity to freedom: Kapurthala man survives 5-month ordeal in Colombia

Balwinder Singh, a young man from Baz village in Kapurthala district, returned home after enduring five months of captivity, torture and life-threatening conditions in the dense jungles of Colombia.

He thanked environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal for safely bringing him back.

Returning from the shadow of death in Columbia, Balwinder Singh shares a truly chilling story.

He recounted witnessing death firsthand and enduring the harrowing sight of his companions being brutally tortured. Balwinder remembered that when the donkers inflicted savage torment on his fellow captives, he began to fear that his own death was imminent.

One of his companions was slashed with a blade until he bled profusely, while another was stripped naked and burned with molten plastic and heated rods, he said.

The donkers filmed these acts of brutality and sent the videos to the victims’ families in India to demand ransom. One of the donkers even threatened Balwinder, saying, “You’ll be shot in the morning.” That night, he couldn’t sleep at all.

Balwinder arrived at Nirmal Kutiya, Sultanpur Lodhi, with his family to express gratitude. In the presence of Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, Balwinder recounted how, after being threatened with death, he decided to attempt an escape. That same night, he somehow managed to flee from the donkers’ grip. His escape proved successful when he eventually reached the main road, where a biker helped him get to a safe location.

Balwinder said he left India for the US in July 2024. Agents routed him from Delhi to Mumbai, then through the Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and the Amazon jungle to Brazil. From there, he was taken through Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, eventually ending up in Colombia’s forests, where he was handed over to the traffickers. Upon arrival, they confiscated his passport and phone and locked him in a room. Dozens of other young men from Punjab, Haryana, and various countries were also imprisoned in groups. He claimed that some Nepali girls were also held captive nearby.

After escaping from the donkers, Balwinder finally reached a safe place and, five months later, was able to contact his family and tell them everything. During that time, his mother and sister approached the office of Seechewal. In Canada that time, Seechewal coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy to initiate Balwinder’s rescue and return.

Balwinder’s mother Shinder Kaur, who reached Nirmal Kutiya, tearfully thanked Seechewal, saying, “This is like my son’s second birth.” She revealed that agents had already made them sell off their land and house.