Agent allegedly cheated him of ₹7.5 lakh on promise of sending him to Portugal, sent him to Cambodia via Thailand
Leg fractured in road accident; remained without proper medical treatment for 15 months
Kapurthala, September 23:
Jalandhar resident Hardeep Kumar, who was allegedly duped by a travel agent on the pretext of sending him abroad, has safely returned to India from Cambodia after nearly three years. After his family brought the matter to the attention of Rajya Sabha Member and environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, he took up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs and the concerned authorities, seeking continued intervention for Hardeep’s assistance and safe return. Hardeep’s family approached Sant Seechewal on June 9, 2026, and he finally returned safely to India on August 29, 2026.
According to the family, in 2023, a travel agent allegedly took around ₹7.5 lakh from Hardeep after promising to send him to Portugal. However, instead of sending him to Portugal, the agent allegedly sent him first to Thailand and then to Cambodia. According to Hardeep, after reaching Cambodia, his passport was also not returned to him, while his visa expired in May 2025.
After returning from Cambodia, Hardeep reached Nirmal Kuteya Sultanpur Lodhi, where he shared his ordeal. He said that while living in Cambodia, he met with a serious road accident in which he suffered a fracture in his leg. According to him, he did not receive proper medical treatment for a long period after the accident and was forced to live under extremely difficult circumstances for nearly 15 months. Due to the lack of adequate treatment, the infection in his leg worsened, severely affecting his physical condition and ability to work.
Hardeep said that his father had passed away due to cancer in 2019, after which the family responsibilities fell upon him. Hoping to earn a livelihood abroad and support his mother financially, he decided to go overseas. Becoming emotional, he said that although he was happy to be back home after three years, he had neither any earnings to show for his time abroad nor the physical ability to work as he had before. With tears in his eyes, he thanked Sant Seechewal and said that had his case not been taken up by him, his return to India might not have been possible.
On the occasion, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said that such cases are a matter of serious concern. He appealed to youngsters to thoroughly verify the claims and credentials of travel agents before travelling abroad and not to trust anyone without proper verification. He said that in several cases, youngsters are promised jobs or visas for one country but are instead taken to another country, where their situation becomes difficult and returning home becomes extremely challenging. He thanked the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Mission for their cooperation and assistance in facilitating the youth’s return.
