Stuck in Jordan, Sultanpur Lodhi youth returns home

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, March 30

A Sultanpur Lodhi native returned to Punjab after spending seven hellish years in Jordan, following rescue effort initiated by RS MP Balbir Singh Seechewal. Stopped being paid his promised salary about 2-3 years ago, and his passport kept by his employers, the man was brought back after the MP contacted the Indian embassy in Jordan over the issue.

Harpreet Singh (38), a Sultanpur Lodhi resident, had gone in pursuit of work to Jordan seven years ago. Promised Rs 70,000 in salary, the youth’s dreams were dashed when after a few years the company he was employed in, stopped paying him money. The MP whose efforts ensured the youth’s return to India, shared that the youth was almost kept captive in Jordan and his passport was also taken from him.

Harpreet said he his pleas for help had been going unheard until his brother made a request to the MP on January 15, 2024, seeking that Harpreet be rescued from Jordan. The MP then contacted the Indian embassy in Jordan after which Harpreet’s return was facilitated.

MP Seechewal shared that Harpreet reached the MP’s residence at Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi to extend his gratitude, upon his return. Gurpreet Singh, Harpreet’s brother said, “Harpreet went to Jordan after being pursued by a friend. While his friend later moved to Italy and is still there, Harpreet was forced to undergo a harrowing experience. He was paid salary for two years, after which his employer stopped paying him. During talks, we remember he told us he was being paid just Rs 100 a month. We then started seeking help from various quarters and the MP facilitated my brother’s return after 1.5 months of appeal to him.”

Gurpreet said a girl from Bangladesh who was Harpreet’s roommate, also helped the family a lot and guided them to ensure Harpreet’s return to India. Harpreet returned to India five days ago and is now with his family at Sultanpur Lodhi.

Harpreet’s attempt to return earlier had also been foiled after he was caught and found without passport by the police at Jordan.

Harpreet said the police there kept him in various jails. In these jails, even one square meal was not provided properly. Hapreet also made the shocking revelation that some men hailing from Punjab also often didn’t support each other in such circumstances and used each other’s passports to return to India, following which they were also caught in Delhi or Mumbai.

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