Azad Yousuf Kumar, a 31-year-old from Pulwama with an engineering background, found himself unwittingly caught in the Russia-Ukraine war, a situation orchestrated through deceit by recruitment agents. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been actively investigating this case, revealing that Azad, along with others, was duped into believing he was securing employment overseas, only to be coerced into conflict zones under false pretenses. His family, heavily involved in the case, has cooperated with the CBI, providing vital information about the networks that misled their loved one.
In a distressing revelation, Azad’s family explained how he was lured with the promise of employment in Dubai by a YouTuber named Faisal Khan, only to be trafficked into a mercenary role for Russia. Azad’s harrowing experience at the Ukraine border underscores the dangers of such fraudulent schemes. The family has been pleading with the Indian government to assist in safely repatriating him and others trapped under similar circumstances.
The broader implications of these recruitment scams have drawn the attention of the CBI, which recently dismantled a human trafficking network responsible for sending Indian citizens to fight in Ukraine. The ongoing investigations highlight the severity of the exploitation and the urgent need for international cooperation to address these human rights abuses. Azad’s story is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the perils of deceptive recruitment practices.