3 Punjab men who went missing while travelling to Iran rescued

Three men from Punjab, who had gone missing in May while they were travelling to Iran, have been rescued by Tehran police, sources said on Tuesday.

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The  three rescued men have been identified as Hushanpreet Singh from Sangrur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar, and Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur. They had gone missing shortly after arriving in Tehran on May 1.

The three men were allegedly duped by an illegal travel agent who promised them work permits in Australia. Instead, the agent routed them through Iran via the dunki route. Later, it was alleged that they were kidnapped.

Their families had claimed that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore and threatened to kill the men if the payment was not made.

The relatives alleged that the kidnappers shared pictures and videos showing the men with their hands tied by ropes and visible cuts and bruises on their bodies. The families said they were able to communicate with the men during the initial days but the contact was lost after May 11.

Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said it is working closely with Iranian authorities to locate the three men, with efforts under way to ensure their safe and early return.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, confirming the ongoing coordination, had said, “We are trying to locate them for their safety, security and eventual return home.”