A 30-year-old man from Hyderabad, who was allegedly forced to join the Russian Army after falling prey to a job fraud, was killed in the country’s ongoing war with Ukraine, Indian officials said on Wednesday.
The family of the man, identified as Mohammed Asfan, reached out to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi to seek assistance in bringing him back from Russia.
However, when Mr Owaisi contacted the Indian embassy in Moscow, officials confirmed that Asfan had died.
Reacting to the incident, the Indian embassy in Moscow took to X and said that authorities are in touch with Asfan’s family to send his remains back to India.
“We have learnt about the tragic death of an Indian national Shri Mohammed Asfan. We are in touch with the family and Russian authorities. Mission will make efforts to send his mortal remains to India,” it wrote.
Mr Asfan, along with several others, was allegedly duped by an agent in Dubai who recruited them to work as “helpers” in Russian government offices.
He along with two other men from Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir reached Russia in November last year. Mr Asfan last spoke with his family on Dec 31.
According to his family, Mr Asfan used to work in a cloth showroom in Hyderabad. He paid Rs300,000 ($4,845) to the Dubai agent, who promised him a “high-paying job” in Russia.
After he reached Moscow, he was made to sign a document which was in Russian.
Mr Afsan realised later that he was recruited as a “helper” in the Russian army, Asfan’s brother Imran told news agency ANI.
The recent fatality comes weeks after a 23-year-old Indian man from Gujarat, who was working as a “helper” with the Russian Army, died in Russia.
The man, identified as Mr Hamil Mangukiya from Surat, had applied for a job in Russia through an online advertisement. He was later recruited as an assistant in the Russian army.
Mr Mangukiya was killed in an airstrike by Ukraine on Feb 21 in the Donetsk region of the Russia-Ukraine border.
Several Indians have been duped into working as “helpers” in the Russian army, with media reports indicating that some are being forced to fight against Ukrainian soldiers in border areas.
Reacting to the reports, the ministry of external affairs (MEA), last month said the Indian government is trying its best for an “early discharge” of Indian nationals who are working as support staff to the Russian army.
“It is our understanding that there are 20-odd (Indians) who have gone there to work as support staff or as helpers with the Russian army,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Feb 29.
“We are trying our level best for their early discharge.”
Mr Jaiswal also said India is in regular correspondence with Russian authorities, both in New Delhi and Moscow, to ensure the return of their citizens.
