Hyderabad : For dozens of families in Telangana , a promise of jobs in Russia has turned into a desperate fight to bring their men home. Two years after national agencies cracked down on recruitment rackets, questions remain over how men seeking civilian work ended up in military camps and near conflict zones, and who profited from their journey.
The latest rescue appeals relate to four men from the Nizamabad-Kamareddy region: Bhookya Ravinder (44), Sirushu Ashok (44), Megavath Prakash (40) and Mohammed Afzal Khan (43). Migrant rights activist Gangula Muralidhar Reddy said workers were often charged ₹2.75 lakh, excluding visa, ticket and medical costs, for jobs such as cleaning and grass-cutting.
Nizamabad police commissioner Sai Chaitanya told TOI : “Prakash’s family filed a complaint against the agents, and we will examine the complaint. Their families allege that an agent identified as Thelu Krishna, linked to Domakonda and reportedly operating from Russia, lured them with promises of civilian jobs in sectors such as the oil industry and security services. He alleged that many recruitments bypassed the govt’s eMigrate system and involved workers from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Initially these workers went on a proper contract but after the contract ended, they took up other works by contacting agents in Russia. He urged people to use only registered recruitment agencies and official MEA channels for overseas employment.
His family said intermediaries collected about ₹3.5 lakh before he travelled to Moscow via Sharjah. The Indian embassy later confirmed his death in March 2024. Hyderabad resident Mohammed Afsan responded to a YouTube advertisement promising helper work and the prospect of permanent residency.
Earlier cases reveal different recruitment routes leading to similar outcomes.