three-indians-abducted-in-iran-rescued-after-month-long-ordeal

Three Indian nationals from Punjab, who had gone missing in Iran last month under mysterious circumstances, have been rescued by the police in Tehran, a senior government source confirmed on Tuesday.

 

The men had been travelling through Iran in May when contact with their families abruptly ceased. Concerned relatives subsequently alleged that the trio had been kidnapped and held for ransom—a claim that prompted swift diplomatic intervention from the Indian Embassy in Tehran.

 

According to the families, the abductors first made contact on 1 May, demanding money for the release of the men. “The kidnappers sent us photographs and videos showing their hands tied with ropes. There were visible cuts and bruises on their bodies,” said the mother of one of the victims.

 

The families, who hail from Punjab, said they were in intermittent contact with the victims for several days following the initial abduction. However, all communication ceased after 11 May.

Also read: 3 men from Punjab go missing in Iran, families allege abduction

Following frantic appeals, the Indian Embassy escalated the matter with Iranian authorities, urging swift action and the safe recovery of the missing men. “The embassy requested the authorities to take up the matter on an urgent basis, and ensure their safety,” the source said.

 

Meanwhile, the travel agent from Hoshiarpur, who facilitated the men’s trip to Iran, has also reportedly gone missing since the abduction came to light.

 

The men’s safe recovery comes amid rising concerns over the increasing number of Indian citizens, particularly from Punjab, taking dangerous and often unauthorised international travel routes. The incident follows the deportation of hundreds of Indians who were sent to the United States via the so-called ‘Dunki’ route—a circuitous and often perilous path used by illegal immigration networks.

 

While the identities of the rescued men have not yet been formally disclosed, their families have expressed relief over their return and called for strict action against the absconding agent.

 

The Ministry of External Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.