(Rptg correcting in name in para one)

Jalandhar, June 24 (UNI) Lok Bhalai Party general secretary Ramandeep Singh Bherowal today claimed that as many as five Indian youths who had gone abroad for earning a livelihood have died and several others are trapped along the Algeria-Morocco border.

Mr Bherowal told reporters that about 150 youths, majority of them from Punjab were taken abroad by unscrupulous travel agents some months ago. Later they were left on the Algeria-Morocco border and their passports and other documents were taken away, he added.

He said that five of these youths had died of diseases and several others are reported sick. Three of the deceased were identified as Babbi of Kapurthala district, Pappu of Satnampura village in Phagwara area and Sukhwinder Singh of Kalliwal village of Lohiana area, he claimed.

Mr Bherowal said he had also received the list of 50 of these youths who are presently trapped along the border and needed immediate assistance. This list included nine youths from Hoshiarpur district, 10 from Kapurthala, seven from Jalandhar, four from Gurdaspur and six from Amritsar district, he said.

He sought immediate intervention of the government for repatriation of the youths.

He also demanded stern action against the guilty travel agents.

UNI SS HS YA KP1750