"the agent informed us that my son's visa had been approved"
An investigation is underway to find three Indian men who have been missing in Iran since May 1, 2025.
The men, all from Punjab, were on their way to Australia via Iran.
Their families claim they were kidnapped after landing in Tehran, with their alleged captors demanding a ransom of Rs. 5 million (£43,000).
The Indian Embassy in Tehran said it had “strongly taken up this matter with Iranian authorities” and called for the men to be “urgently traced and their safety ensured”.
In a post on X, the Iranian Embassy in India said it was updating Indian officials on all developments “within the judicial system”. It warned Indian citizens not to fall prey to illegal immigration schemes.
It said: “Given the nature of this incident, Indian citizens are strongly advised not to be deceived by the promises of unauthorised individuals or illegal Indian agencies offering travel to other countries.”
Many young men from Punjab travel abroad in search of jobs and a better life. Some use illegal channels after paying large sums to travel agents.
Amritpal Singh is one of the three missing men.
His mother, Gurdeep Kaur, said the family had paid Rs. 1.8 million (£15,600) to a travel agent in Hoshiarpur to secure a work visa for Australia.
She explained: “Last month, the agent informed us that my son’s visa had been approved and asked for 1.8m rupees as payment.
“They told us they had booked a flight from Delhi to Australia on 26 April. But when my son went there, they told him that his documents were still not ready.”
She said the agent rebooked him on a flight for April 29, which was also cancelled. On May 1, Amritpal and two others were sent on a flight to Iran, allegedly as a stopover.
After landing, Amritpal called home to say a cab was taking them to a hotel.
An hour later, he called again. This time, he said he had been kidnapped. The call was cut short.
Gurdeep Kaur said the family tried to contact the three agents but received vague replies. The next day, the agents’ homes and offices were locked.
Soon after, they began receiving video calls from unknown men. Ms Kaur alleged the calls showed her son and the two others injured and held captive in a room.
She said the ransom demand was initially Rs. 20 million (£173,000). It was later reduced to Rs. 5.4 million (£46,000).
Amritpal’s uncle Gurdev Singh said:
“But it has been more than 10 days since we last heard from them.”
The family has not paid any ransom so far.
Police in Hoshiarpur have launched an investigation. A complaint has been filed against the agents.
Gursahib Singh of Hoshiarpur police said:
“The search for the three men is on. They are on the run, but we are conducting searches.”
In Dhuri, around 150km away, the house of another missing man, Husanpreet Singh, remains locked. His grandmother is visiting relatives to ask for help.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran has said it is keeping the families informed of all developments.
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