Man from Punjab leaves for Russia for job, arrives in coffin after 8 months

Samarjit Singh, a 21-year-old from Ludhiana in Punjab, left his home last year hoping to build a better future in Russia. Eight months later, on Friday, his body was brought back to his family residence in the Daba locality. Family members said Samarjit had travelled to Russia in July 2025 through recruitment agents who had promised him a lucrative job. However, they allege that once he reached there, he was forced to join the Russian army. According to the family, Samarjit was deployed to the front lines without receiving any formal military training. The last time his relatives spoke to him was in September 2025, after which he reportedly went missing in the conflict zone. His mortal remains were flown to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday and later taken to Ludhiana. His final rites were conducted on Friday.

Standing beside his son’s funeral pyre, Samarjit’s father, Charanjit Singh, made an emotional appeal to parents, urging them not to send their children abroad on the basis of misleading assurances given by agents. Charanjit Singh, who runs a small grocery shop in the Amarapuri area, struggled to control his emotions as he spoke. “I request everyone not to risk their children’s lives by sending them abroad through agents,” he said. “Whatever the financial hardship may be, do not take such a step. I have lost everything.” The family said they had spent months approaching authorities for assistance after Samarjit went missing, but claimed they received no clear response. His father said the young man had left India only with the intention of supporting his family. “If there had been job opportunities here, my son would never have gone abroad. He went because he wanted to help us,” he said. The grieving father added quietly, “We still do not know what exactly happened to him in his final moments.”