Nine Pilibhit Residents Stranded in Kyrgyzstan Due to Job Fraud Return Home Safely

Nine residents of Pilibhit, stranded in Kyrgyzstan for three months due to a job scam, have returned home. Authorities are working to bring back three more by December 30.

Nine residents from Pilibhit, who were stuck in Kyrgyzstan for three months, have safely returned home. Officials stated that the remaining three are expected back by December 30, as their visas remain valid until December 31, 2025. The District Magistrate of Pilibhit, Gyanendra Singh, confirmed that arrangements for their return are nearly complete.

Gyanendra Singh urged people to be cautious of fraudulent schemes. The twelve men, hailing from Barkhera, Puranpur, Diyoria, and Gajraula areas of Pilibhit, were victims of a scam. They were promised jobs abroad by a recruiting agency owner in Pilibhit city and paid Rs 2.5 lakh each for travel and non-existent employment opportunities.

Fraudulent Job Offers in Kyrgyzstan

The scam came to light when a video of Rohit, one of the stranded individuals, surfaced. On December 5, his wife Premvati and other relatives contacted authorities after learning about the situation. The group included Ravi Kumar, Ajay, Chandrapal, Santram, Rohit, Ramesh, Harswaroop, Shyamacharan, Sanjeev, Prempal, Ramasare, and Harishankar.

These men were sent to Kyrgyzstan on a 59-day visa with fraudulent contracts. Upon arrival, they found no jobs as promised and were allegedly held against their will. They were forced to work in roles they hadn't agreed to and shared videos online detailing their plight. They reported beatings and unpaid wages while appealing for help from the Indian government.

Efforts for Safe Return

Superintendent of Police Abhishek Yadav has tasked the Circle Officer City with investigating the case. Union Minister Jitin Prasada met with the victims' families in Delhi and contacted the Indian Embassy to assist in their return. Farmer leader Dev Swaroop Patel met the returning workers in Bareilly on Saturday.

Patel mentioned that tickets had not yet been arranged for Harishankar from Jironia village, Ramasre from Bhuda Pipariya village, and Shyam Charan from Baiju Nagar village. The families expressed relief upon their return and requested Prasada to take strict action against those responsible for the scam.

The families also urged Prasada to help them recover the money they lost to the fraudsters. Smiles returned to their villages as they welcomed back their loved ones who had endured such hardships abroad.

With inputs from PTI