Indian Men Russian Army Centre Punjab Families Dna Legal Aid

The Centre has directed the Punjab government to immediately assist the families of the men from the state who were allegedly lured to Russia by travel agents on the promise of jobs, later forced into the Russian armed forces, and died during the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. While the families of some men await compensation, others are still waiting for the repatriation of mortal remains.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday directed the Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan governments to help the families get DNA tests of their parents done so that these can be matched with the bodies.

The MEA has asked the states to ensure that district legal services authorities provide free legal aid for the DNA tests, submission of compensation claims to the Russian authorities, and other formalities. The MEA has also asked that DNA matching should be arranged before handing over the mortal remains, and translated documents for compensation claims should be supplied.

The pendency of claims should not delay the return of bodies or the last rites, the communication to the three states said. “The DNA test reports may be shared with MEA for forwarding the same through our embassy in Moscow to Russian authorities for identification of mortal remains/the missing individuals,” the letter states.

The Centre had informed the Supreme Court that 49 of the approximately 217 Indians recruited into the Russian armed forces had died. The MEA shared a list of six men from Amritsar, Batala, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana with the Punjab government.

Of these, the bodies of Sahil Sekhri of Amritsar, Gursewak Singh of Gurdaspur, and Samarjeet Singh of Ludhiana were sent back on June 24, May 8, and March 11, respectively. “We did not know he was being recruited in the Russian Army. Had we known. We would have never sent him there. We received his remains, and he was cremated, but we are yet to get compensation. I do not know what to do,” Anita Sekhri, Sahil’s mother, said.

The families of the three other men are still awaiting their bodies. Hira Singh of Amritsar reportedly died on November 4, 2025. Evacuation from the active combat zone was not possible at the time. A note verbale, a diplomatic message, was sent to Russian authorities on December 16, 2025.

A note verbale on Harvinder Singh of Tarn Taran was sent on November 4, 2025, but there have been no updates from the Russian side. Jarnail Singh of Tarn Taran has been missing since October 20, 2025. A note verbale for his whereabouts was sent on November 12, 2025.

“It is a welcome step that the state government will help the families. I had to spend Rs 25,000 each to get the DNA sampling done for my mother and me. My mother’s DNA matched 95 per cent with Mandeep. We got his mortal remains. Now, we are waiting for the compensation of Rs 1.30 crore,” Jagdeep Singh, whose brother Mandeep was killed in a drone attack in Russia, said. While Mandeep’s name is not in the MEA list, Jagdeep is helping the families of such victims.

A 28-year-old man from Goraya, Mandeep was allegedly duped by fraudulent travel agents who promised him work in Italy but instead trafficked him to Russia in late 2023. He was coerced into the Russian army, deployed to the Ukraine conflict, and killed in a drone attack in March 2024. His family received his repatriated remains in January.