Embassy officials reach out after video of Indian youth in Armenian jail goes viral

Sultanpur Lodhi, June 14

The Indian embassy officials in Armenia has reached out to dozen odd Indian youths stranded in a jail there and also met them. These youths had posted a video on social media in which they said that they had been misguided by travel agents and were lodged in Armavir prison in Armenia.

The Ministry of External Affairs has started making efforts for the release of youths. These youths have been getting only non-vegetarian food in jail, regarding which the Indian embassy has written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. The ministry and the Indian embassy there are pursuing the matter. — Balbir Singh Seechewal, Rajya Sabha member

Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal said when he saw the video on social media, he immediately contacted the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in this regard. He said information was received via an e-mail from the Ministry of External Affairs that the counsellor of the Indian embassy in Yerevan had visited the jail. He informed that currently about 12 Indian youths were lodged in the jail. They were caught by the security forces while trying to cross the Armenia-Georgia border illegally during February-March this year. Seechewal said the matter was being dealt with in court in Armenia.

Seechewal said the Ministry of External Affairs had started making efforts for the release of these youths. He appealed to the youth to be cautious about fake travel agents and not risk their lives. He also said that these youths were getting only non-vegetarian food in jail, regarding which the Indian embassy had written a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. He said the ministry and the Indian embassy were continuously pursuing the matter.

Seechewal also shared a video of these youths stranded in Armenia on his Facebook page after which, two families whose children were stranded in Armenia, contacted to him.