Safe return of 3 kidnapped Punjabi men sought amid Israel-Iran conflict

Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), has made a heartfelt and urgent appeal to the Government of India and the international humanitarian community to act immediately for the safe release of three young Punjabi men who were kidnapped in Iran and are now caught in the crossfire of an escalating Israel-Iran conflict.

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Chahal said, as reported in a section of the press, the victims, Husanpreet Singh (27) of Sangrur, Amritpal Singh (23) of Hoshiarpur, and Jaspal Singh (32) of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, were reportedly abducted by a transnational human trafficking syndicate while en route to Australia via Tehran.

Each had paid approximately Rs 18 lakh to agents based in Punjab for what they were told would be a legal migration route. Instead, their journey turned into a nightmare of captivity, beatings, and ransom demands.

“The families of these young men are living in unimaginable fear and distress,” said Chahal. “They are clinging to the assurances made by Indian authorities, but the ongoing military unrest in the region is making their situation even more precarious. These men are not just victims of a trafficking racket—they are now at the mercy of war.”

Chahal highlighted that the deepening conflict between Iran and Israel has severely compromised diplomatic and rescue efforts.

He emphasised the moral obligation of the Indian government to intensify efforts for the safe return of these men and called on international human rights organisations and the United Nations to assist with humanitarian access and intervention.

“NAPA stands in full solidarity with the affected families and appeals to both Indian and global authorities to prioritize the safe return of these men, who were misled by deceitful traffickers and are now stranded in a war-torn region,” Chahal added.

“The Punjab government must also take immediate legal action against the travel agents who orchestrated this tragedy.”

Chahal reaffirmed NAPA’s ongoing commitment to raising awareness about the perils of illegal migration and human trafficking and urged the youth of Punjab to avoid falling prey to such dangerous schemes.