An 18-year-old from Haryana’s Kaithal district, who had set out last year hoping to reach the United States via the illegal “dunki” route, has been killed in Guatemala, allegedly after human traffickers held him hostage, his family said on Saturday.
The deceased, who has been identified as Yuvraj, hailed from Mohna village and was the son of a local agriculturist. According to his family, Yuvraj had left home in October 2023 in search of better job prospects, reported news agency PTI.
“Yuvraj had passed Class 12 and wanted to support his family. We were told he would reach the US safely through a network of contacts,” his maternal uncle Gurpej Singh told the news agency.
The family told the media that they got to know of Yuvraj's death after the human traffickers sent them pictures and a death certificate, saying that he and another person from Punjab had been killed.
As per the PTI report, three Haryana-based travel agents had allegedly taken a large amount of money from the family, promising a secure passage to the US. However, communication with Yuvraj was lost soon after the first instalment was paid, Gurpej Singh said.
Months later, the family received distressing videos showing Yuvraj and another youth being held hostage in Guatemala. The traffickers later demanded ransom for their release.
“Recently, one of the ‘donkers’ contacted the family, claiming Yuvraj had been killed and demanded ₹3 lakh to provide proof. After the payment, they sent a death certificate and photos,” the deceased's uncle said.
He added that the family suspects the money paid to local agents never reached the traffickers abroad.
“Overall, the family paid anywhere between ₹40 to ₹50 lakh to the travel agents and the donkers,” Gurpej said.
The family had earlier approached the police, leading to the arrest of two local agents. However, they were later informed of Yuvraj’s death, Gurpej added.
Authorities are yet to confirm the circumstances surrounding Yuvraj’s death or the authenticity of the documents shared by the traffickers.
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