Photo Source; Babushahi Bureau
Sultanpur Lodhi: 2 Punjabi men stuck in Iraq rescued, returns home after 14 days
Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal
Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala), March 31, 2025: Two Punjabi men, Gurpreet Singh and Sodi Ram, who were lured to Kuwait for work but were instead trapped in Iraq, have safely returned home after 14 days.
As per information, they were held captive by an Iraqi company, subjected to extreme labor without wages, food, or medical care. Losing hope of ever returning, they were ultimately rescued due to the intervention of Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal.
Gurpreet and Sodi had taken a hefty loan of ₹1.85 lakh to migrate but were deceived by travel agents and forced into exploitative conditions in Iraq. The company not only refused to pay them but also forced them to sign documents under pressure.
Their families sought help from Sant Seechewal on March 15, and by March 28, their return was secured through diplomatic channels.
Sant Seechewal thanked the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy for their swift action. He urged aspiring migrant workers, especially from poor backgrounds, to seek proper guidance before traveling to Gulf countries. He also called for strict action against fraudulent travel agents.
Meanwhile, the rescued workers revealed that over a dozen Indians are still trapped in the same company, suffering similar conditions.