The rescue of five youths — three from Kaithal and two from Ferozepur, Punjab — from Libya has once again exposed the growing network of illegal immigration and human trafficking in the region. The Kaithal police traced the gang that had allegedly held the youths hostage and carried out the rescue operation.
Police probe revealed that many fake agents, posing as overseas job facilitators, continue to trap young people with false promises of well-paid jobs and a better life in countries such as the US, Canada and Australia.
Officers said this pattern is not new. In the past three years, Kaithal police have nabbed 21 people in cases of human trafficking, kidnapping and extortion, and rescued 19 victims.
Last week’s operation followed the same method. The gang allegedly lured youths with promises of sending them to Canada, then kidnapped them and demanded ransom. Acting on clues, the police rescued the five hostages from Libya and nabbed one accused.
This is not the first time such a racket has been uncovered in Kaithal. In November 2022, the police found that Vikram, a resident of Bakal village, had been promised a job in Canada for Rs 32 lakh but was kidnapped in Kolkata. He was held at gunpoint for 10 days and forced to tell his family members that he had reached Canada so they would transfer the money. Later, eight gang members were nabbed and six victims were rescued, including two girls who had been tied up with ropes.
In April 2025, Ankit from Kaithal district, was rescued from Jammu after being cheated with a fake promise of a Canadian visa for Rs 19 lakh. He was held hostage and forced to pay Rs 25 lakh before police arrested six people, including a woman, in the case.
A similar case came to light in September 2025, when two youngsters travelling to Australia via Iran were kidnapped by local criminals. The families of the youth were asked to pay Rs 80 lakh, of which Rs 45 lakh had already been sent. Kaithal police, with the help of cyber teams, tracked their location and alerted the Indian Embassy, which helped bring them back safely.
Confirming this trend, Kaithal Superintendent of Police Upasana said many illegal agents have recently been found indulged in kidnapping and extortion.
“We have solved a few cases in the recent past with similar methods. I appeal to the youth not to take illegal routes to go abroad but to use legal channels and authorised agents for visa processing,” she said.
The SP also warned that many families have been cheated by such networks, losing their savings while trying to secure a better future for their kids.
“Some agents convince young men and their families to invest everything they have with false promises, only to exploit them later,” she stated, noting that several victims reported being denied food, beaten or held captive until ransom payments were made.
The police have intensified efforts to crack down on such rackets and urged people to verify the credentials of any travel or visa agent before proceeding with overseas job offers.
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