SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Thursday has written to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, urging his immediate intervention in the case of a youth from Jammu’s Khour area who has been trapped in the Russia–Ukraine warzone after being deceived with false promises of employment and coerced into joining the Russian Army.
The Association said that the family of 23-year-old Sachin Khajuria, a resident of Pahariwala village in Akhnoor, is in deep distress and has appealed to the Union Government for urgent assistance.According to the Association, Sachin left for Russia on a study visa in August 2025. However, soon after his arrival, he and several others were allegedly forced to sign documents written in Russian.
While they had been promised jobs as porters, they were instead pushed into weapon training camps and subsequently deployed to the frontline against Ukrainian forces. Shockingly, his passport has been seized by the Russian Army, leaving him with no chance of escape. Two other youths from Jammu are also reported to have fallen victim to the same deceit.
Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Association, said, “Sachin’s family is living in constant fear and anxiety, unsure about his safety and future. It is deeply concerning that young men are being lured abroad with false assurances of education or employment, only to be exploited and forced into war.
”He urged External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar to take up the matter at the highest level with the concerned Russian and Ukrainian authorities to ensure Sachin’s safe and immediate repatriation. It also appealed to the Indian Embassy in Moscow to extend all possible support to safeguard the lives of these youths.
The Association urged the Government of India to crack down on such illegal recruitment and trafficking networks, strengthen awareness campaigns, and establish strict monitoring mechanisms to prevent vulnerable youth from falling prey to such exploitation.
