Haryana men captured in Iran: 'Donkers' lured them with Spain jobs; traffickers want ransom, claim kin

NEW DELHI: Two men from Haryana’s Karnal district, who were promised jobs in Spain, are now trapped in Iran where human traffickers are torturing them and threatening to sell their kidneys unless a ransom is paid.Ritik (24) and Pawan (40) left home on October 22 after Haryana-based “travel agents” assured them of employment opportunities in Spain. According to their families, the agents first arranged flights to Kolkata and then to Thailand. From there, the men were sent to Tehran, told it would be a brief stop before continuing to Spain.Once in Tehran, however, the families claim the two fell into the hands of “donkers” — agents who facilitate illegal migration through “donkey routes,” often involving perilous border crossings.

The families said the traffickers are now torturing Ritik and Pawan and have threatened to sell their kidneys if ransom demands are not met, reported PTI.Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Friday urged the Haryana government to take action. Sharing a video that appears to show one of the men being tortured, he wrote on X, “Lives of two youths from Karnal in danger. Both youths were kidnapped in Iran. Threat to kill them if ransom is not paid.

Both youths were heading abroad for jobs. (Haryana CM) Nayab Saini ji, we want both young men safe under any circumstances.”

The distraught families have lodged a complaint with Karnal Police and appealed to the government to rescue the two men.Inspector Tarsem, SHO of Karnal Sadar police station, said, “We have registered a case under relevant provisions of law after the two families lodged a complaint stating that they paid money to the travel agents who duped them. Further investigations are on," as quoted by PTI.