In a shocking case of human trafficking and deception, a 37-year-old man from Hyderabad, Mohammed Ahmed, has reportedly been forced to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war after being duped by a job agent who promised him employment in the construction sector.
Ahmed, a former bouncer from Khairatabad, left for Russia on April 25 after being approached by a Mumbai-based agent offering a lucrative construction job. However, upon arrival, he was allegedly taken to a military camp, trained for ten days to handle weapons, and coerced into joining the frontline.
“He has been given a weapon and forced to join the war. His last known location is near the Ukraine border,” said his relative, Firdous Begum, pleading for his safe return.
In a video message sent from Russia, Ahmed described his ordeal: “It’s a matter of life and death. When I refused to go into the war zone, they pointed a weapon at my head. I don’t know if I will come out alive.”
His wife, Afsha Begum, said Ahmed and 30 others, including six Indians, were forcibly taken for weapons training. “Seventeen people from his group have already died fighting,” she said. Ahmed reportedly fractured his leg while jumping from an army vehicle in an attempt to escape, but was captured again and threatened with death if he refused to fight.
Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan has raised the matter with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging urgent diplomatic action. Khan noted that this mirrors previous incidents where Indian nationals were tricked into Russia and pushed into combat, with one Hyderabad youth losing his life last year.
Ahmed’s family remains in anguish. “We are terrified every time the phone rings. We just want him back safely,” said a relative.
The incident highlights a growing pattern of recruitment scams targeting desperate jobseekers, with Indian authorities now under pressure to ensure the immediate rescue and repatriation of citizens trapped in conflict zones.
