At least five youths of Machhiwara have gone missing in Guatemala on way to the United States of America.
The youths were not in contact with the families for the past two years, but the travel agent kept the families in the dark saying the youths were busy. Now, the agent has told them that the youths had gone missing in Guatemala two years ago and were no more in contact with him.
The statement of the travel agent has come as a blow to the families of the youths.
The youths had left India in September 2010 for greener pastures.
Jaswant Singh of Jhungiyan village said he contacted a travel agent at Khokhran village of Rupnagar to send his son Ravinder Singh abroad. The travel agent took Rs 8 lakh for sending Ravinder to the US. "I sold off my land to arrange the money. I had talked to my son on the phone for the last time two years ago. Ravinder had told me that they had reached Guatemala and would reach the US by water transport in the next few days," said Jaswant Singh.
"Two years have passed and we are yet to hear from him. I had filed a case with the Machhiwara police, but to no avail," he rued.
Families of Aktubar Singh and Daljit Singh of Tapariyan Amar Singh village have been going through the same ordeal. Their sons Manjit Singh and Ravinder Singh were also missing. According to Aktubar Singh and Daljit Singh, they had paid Rs 12.5 lakh and Rs 15.5 lakh, respectively to the agent to send their sons abroad.
{{/usCountry}}Families of Aktubar Singh and Daljit Singh of Tapariyan Amar Singh village have been going through the same ordeal. Their sons Manjit Singh and Ravinder Singh were also missing. According to Aktubar Singh and Daljit Singh, they had paid Rs 12.5 lakh and Rs 15.5 lakh, respectively to the agent to send their sons abroad.
{{/usCountry}}They had failed to hear from their sons for two years now.
Raj Kaur of Jalandhar has been in Macchiwara and holding meetings with the victim families about the next course of action. She said she had paid Rs 10 lakh to the travel agent to send her son Amarjit Singh abroad.
Charanjit Singh of Kala Sanghiya village, Jaswinder Singh of Hajura village of Hoshiarpur, Ravinder Singh of Meera Kot village of Amritsar are also missing in Guatemala. Their families have visited Machhiwara to unite all victim families and to pursue legal action against the travel agents.