In a startling turn of events, what began as a festive trip for New Year celebrations has turned into a nightmare for a group of Indian tourists in Russia. Ravneet and Bikramjit, along with a group of their friends, embarked on what was supposed to be a joyous vacation, only to find themselves ensnared in the complexities of a foreign conflict.
Issued visas from December 19th, 2023, to February 16th, 2024, by the Russian embassy, the group's holiday took a drastic turn when they were unexpectedly thrust into military training by the Russian army.
According to a video message sent by one of the individuals, they were coerced into signing contracts under duress, facing the threat of imprisonment if they refused to comply.
Their ordeal began with a deceptive travel agent promising a tour of Belarus before dropping them unceremoniously on a highway after extracting funds from them.
Subsequently, they were apprehended by Belarusian police and handed over to the Russian military, setting off a chain of events that led to their involuntary enlistment.
Forcefully made to sign contracts they could not comprehend, the group found themselves enlisted as auxiliary staff for the Russian army, with tasks ranging from kitchen duties to tent maintenance.
However, their plight worsened when they learned that they were slated to be deployed to the frontline of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Expressing their desperation in the video message, the group appealed to the Indian government to intervene and rescue them from their predicament.
With reports of their fellow travelers already sent to the frontline, they fear for their safety and lack the necessary skills to engage in combat. Their harrowing experience sheds light on the dangers faced by unsuspecting tourists abroad and underscores the need for diplomatic intervention to safeguard their rights and well-being.
As the international community grapples with the ramifications of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the plight of these Indian tourists serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict.
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