Asfan, Duped To Work For Russian Army, Buried In Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, (IANS) – The last rites of Mohammed Asfan, who died in the Russia-Ukraine war after being duped into working as a helper for the Russian Army, were performed in here on March 17.

The mortal remains of Asfan, 30,  were brought to his home in the Bazar Ghat area 10 days after the Indian Embassy in Moscow confirmed his death. He is survived by his wife and two children – an eight-month-old daughter and a two-year-old son.

Asfan, who was working in a readymade garment shop, was duped by a job agent. He and two others went to Moscow via Sharjah in November last year after they were promised jobs as helpers in the Russian Army. They were promised Rs 30,000 per month initially, and the agent had also told them that they would later get Rs.1.5 lakh.

Asfan’s family grew suspicious after they were unable to contact him. They lodged a complaint with Hyderabad police and later approached Asaduddin Owaisi. The AIMIM President had on February 21 appealed to the Centre to take steps to bring back 12 Indians who were forced to fight Ukraine alongside the Russian Army. They included two youths from Telangana, three from Karnataka, two from Kashmir, and one each from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

Hamil Mangukiya, 23, from Gujarat was killed in an airstrike on February 21 in the Donetsk region on the Russia-Ukraine border.