Punjabi youth returns home from Turkey jail

CHANDIGARH - After spending about a month in Istanbul jail in Turkey, a Punjabi youth, who was duped by unscrupulous travel agents, returned to his home in Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab Monday.

Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Dulhana Kalan village, left for Greece July 2. But he was caught mid-way by Turkey police and was lodged in Istanbul jail.

However, Punjab-based Lok Bhalai Party (LBP), which is working for the rights of Indians stranded abroad, intervened in this issue and ensured the safe return of Sarabjit.

“We contacted the Indian consulate in Turkey and made arrangements for Sarabjit’s return. He reached New Delhi yesterday (Sunday) and today (Monday) he has returned to his home,” Avtar Singh Mullanpuri, senior vice-president of LBP, told IANS here Monday.

“There is another Punjabi youth, Balwinder Singh, resident of a village in Amritsar district, who is still lodged in Istanbul jail. All formalities have been completed for his return and he is waiting for the travel agent to deliver the air-ticket,” he said.

He said the LBP is also making arrangements to bring back the body of Sukhwinder Singh, a native of Kapurthala district in Punjab, who was shot dead by Turkey police last month.

Sarabjit had paid lakhs of rupees to a travel agent, who had promised him a lucrative job in Greece. He was first taken to Turkey where he met two other Punjabi youths Balwinder and Sukhwinder.

From there, a travel agent took them in a truck to cross the Turkey border by road. However, on reaching close to the border the driver and travel agent ran away and Turkey police arrested the Punjabi youths.

“Sukhwinder also tried to run away but he was killed after being hit by a bullet. We have made all arrangements to bring his body back and it will reach here any day,” said Mullanpuri.