Nawanshahr man, abducted in Iran, may return soon

A wave of relief mixed with lingering anxiety grips a family in Langroya village, Nawanshahr, as their son, Jaspal Singh, 32, who was allegedly kidnapped in Iran and was later rescued, is expected to return soon. The family, however, remains anxious due to the rising tensions between Iran and Israel.

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Jaspal, one of three Punjab youths reportedly abducted in Iran, had ventured abroad in search of a better future for his family. With aspirations to reach Australia, he approached a travel agent based in Hoshiarpur, who promised to arrange his journey. The family painstakingly gathered Rs 18 lakh — through loans and savings — and handed it over to the agent, unaware of the ordeal that would follow.

Back home, Jaspal's brother Balwinder Singh expressed cautious optimism. “There were some network issues, but we received a message on Saturday from him saying he is safe,” Balwinder said. Despite the comforting message, the family remains uneasy. “Although my brother clearly told us everything is fine and we know that there is no need to worry, but news about growing tensions between Iran and Israel does disturb us a little. We hope he’ll return home in a day or two," he added.

The youths were giving their statements to the police for further investigations.

Jaspal is the father of two — the eldest is just three-year old, while the younger is only three months.

The incident also highlights the growing trend of the youths from Punjab seeking overseas opportunities through unverified agents, often leading to distressing situations.

Kuldip Kaur had earlier said every day, the family was getting video calls where his husband was seen getting beaten up brutally. "It was only today that a normal phone call came from Jaspal saying that he was fine and safe," Kuldip Kaur had told The Tribune.