AI Generated Summary
- His survival is a rare glimmer of hope in a saga marked by brutality and betrayal — and a reminder of the human cost behind the dream of a better life abroad.
- In a harrowing tale of human trafficking and survival, a 25-year-old youth from Punjab’s Kapurthala district has made a miraculous escape from the clutches of a Colombian gang after being held captive in jungle camps for nearly five months.
- Instead, Balwinder was trafficked through a network of countries, eventually landing in the hands of a ruthless gang operating in Colombia.
In a harrowing tale of human trafficking and survival, a 25-year-old youth from Punjab’s Kapurthala district has made a miraculous escape from the clutches of a Colombian gang after being held captive in jungle camps for nearly five months.
Balwinder Singh, a resident of Baja village, had left India on July 18, 2024, in hopes of reaching the United States for a better life. His journey, however, took a dark and tragic turn. According to his family, they paid ₹28 lakh to four travel agents based in Amritpur who promised to facilitate his migration. Instead, Balwinder was trafficked through a network of countries, eventually landing in the hands of a ruthless gang operating in Colombia.
The ordeal was nothing short of a nightmare. Balwinder was detained along with four other young men from Punjab and Haryana in remote jungle camps under brutal and inhuman conditions. His family recounted chilling details — three of the captives were tortured to death, with videos of the atrocities circulated to extort additional money from their families. The victims, it is alleged, were suffocated with plastic bags, burned with metal rods, had melted plastic poured on them, and were slashed with blades.
Balwinder, who was confined nearby, endured the psychological torment of hearing the screams of his fellow captives. After months in captivity, he managed a daring escape, trekking nearly 600 km through treacherous Colombian terrain before reaching a city where he was finally able to contact his family.
His mother, Shinder Kaur, shared the emotional toll the ordeal has taken on the family. “We sold everything — our three-acre land, our home — just to send him abroad. My husband is seriously ill but still works as a daily wage labourer. We now live in a rented house. We just want our son home safely.”
The family has approached Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, who is currently in Canada. Seechewal has taken up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs and reached out to the Indian Embassy in Colombia to ensure Balwinder’s safe return.
A formal complaint has also been lodged with the Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police against the four agents who allegedly orchestrated the illegal and dangerous route.
Balwinder’s story casts a stark light on the perils faced by desperate migrants who fall prey to trafficking networks. His survival is a rare glimmer of hope in a saga marked by brutality and betrayal — and a reminder of the human cost behind the dream of a better life abroad.
