Punjab: 29 youths with Dubai dreams duped by travel agent

The unsuspecting youths found out about the fake tickets and visas issued to them only during checking at the Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport.

Allegedly duped by a travel agent, 29 youths, who were set to board a flight to Dubai, were stranded at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport here on Friday.

Most of the youths hail from economically weak families in Punjab. (HT FILE/REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE)

The unsuspecting youths found out about the fake tickets and visas issued to them only during checking at the airport.

“I paid ₹1.6 lakh to the agent for going to Dubai. He told us that we will get a salary of ₹40,000 monthly. He also gave us a ticket for the flight, besides getting a visa issued to us. However, when we began to enter the terminal, we were stopped by airport authorities who told us that our ticket and visa are not real,” said a youth from Baba Bakala.

Most of the youths hail from economically weak families. The travel agent, meanwhile, is missing. Police have launched a probe in the matter.