BILASPUR, Oct. 29 -- A 21-year-old man from Chhattisgarh who travelled to Russia after receiving a job offer has allegedly been detained and tortured to force him to join the war against Ukraine, prompting his family to seek intervention from the Indian government.
Vinit Kumar Dubey, a resident of Bilha in Bilaspur district, left for Russia on October 1 after securing a job through a Telegram group that promised him a monthly salary of around $1,200. His 17-year-old sister has alleged that he was subsequently detained and pressured to participate in the ongoing conflict. The family has approached the local police and district administration, seeking assistance in tracing Dubey and ensuring his safe return to India. Officials said they had contacted the Indian embassy in Moscow and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding the matter.
According to Dubey's sister, he was initially offered employment at a food storage facility in Russia. However, after reaching the country, he was informed that his responsibilities had changed and that he would instead be required to undertake delivery work. She said her brother was accommodated in a hotel alongside a young man from Jordan. The family last communicated with him on October 7, after which they received neither calls nor messages from him. Speaking to ANI, the teenager alleged that the family received a telephone call from a Russian number on the night of October 10. The caller reportedly claimed that Dubey had been implicated in a narcotics-related case and was being forced to join the war in Ukraine. The family initially suspected that the call was fraudulent and stopped communicating with the person. However, the caller allegedly also claimed that Dubey was being tortured to compel him to participate in the conflict.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and the circumstances surrounding Dubey's reported detention remain unclear. Dubey's sister submitted a written complaint to the district administration, requesting urgent intervention to locate her brother and bring him back to India. She said she had emailed the Indian embassy in Moscow on October 8, reporting that her brother was missing. According to her, the embassy responded that it would examine the matter and attempt to establish his whereabouts. The teenager has urged the authorities to coordinate with Indian diplomatic officials in Russia to secure information about Dubey's condition and facilitate his return.
Bilaspur Senior Superintendent of Police Rajnesh Singh confirmed that the police had received a complaint from Dubey's sister alleging that he was being held in Russia. Singh said the police had written to the Indian embassy approximately a week earlier but had not received a response. Further action would be initiated after receiving information from the embassy, he added. Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agrawal said he had discussed the matter with the SSP and confirmed that the district administration had also approached the Ministry of External Affairs. Agrawal expressed hope that the matter would be resolved through coordination with the relevant authorities.
The Indian embassy in Moscow and the MEA had not issued any public statement on Dubey's case at the time of reporting. The family continues to await information about his whereabouts and condition, while local authorities remain in contact with diplomatic officials to seek assistance in tracing him.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.