An Indian youth who is still holed up in an undisclosed location in Russia remembers his batchmate, Mohammed Asfan, as a "polite" and "friendly" person. Both traveled to Russia from Chennai to serve as support staff for the Russian army. Asfan was working in a clothing store in Hyderabad before deciding to take up the risky assignment for which he was promised Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh per month by middlemen and agents.
Both the Indians were inducted into the Russian army and were sent for training and military missions in the Donetsk region in January.
"I last saw him on January 22 in a house in the border village of Russia and Ukraine. The fighting was intense in that area and I had a brief meeting of a few minutes with Asfan. He was injured. He told me that he was shot at and his legs had two bullets. I asked him to accompany me to a safe zone. He said he could not walk and requested me to send help to transport him back," said the youth, who did not wish to be identified.
He claimed that before they parted ways, Asfan told him, "Inform everyone that I am seriously injured."
The Indian youth then informed the Russian military officials and also contacted the family of Asfan and told them about the injured youth's condition.
On Tuesday, almost a month and a half later, it has been confirmed that the 30-year-old is no more.
The unfortunate news was relayed to the family of Asfan this afternoon through Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. When the family members of the deceased approached the MP for an update, he contacted the Indian embassy in Moscow. The embassy officials informed the MP about the death of Asfan. Owaisi then shared the news with the brother of Asfan, Imran.
READ MORE: How agents lure Indians to join Russian army
Recently, THE WEEK visited the residence of Asfan in the Red Hills area of Hyderabad. The family members were somber and worried. He is survived by a wife and two young daughters.
Imran, the elder brother of Asfan, has been fighting a lone battle to save his brother by knocking on the doors of leaders and government offices. He has also been in touch with family members of the other youth who had traveled to Russia, like Asfan.
"He was cheated by agents," said Imran repeatedly while talking to THE WEEK. "Had we known that he would be fighting for the Russian army, we would not have sent him."
Asfan has not been in touch with his family since January, which made them approach Owaisi seeking his help in the matter. Asfan is the second Indian to get killed after a Gujarati, Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya—a Surat resident who was hired as a security helper by the Russian Army—died in an airstrike.
THE WEEK had reported that the invitation letters sent by the agent to Afsan for submission at the Russian consulate had fraudulent information. He was shown as working for a company in Hyderabad headed by a former Telangana chief secretary. His family denied that he ever worked for the company. It was also mentioned in the letter that he needed to be in Russia for 'IT services,' which was another lie as Asfan had no knowledge of IT-related work. The invitation letter was issued in the name of a Moscow-based company by printing fake contact details and signature.
All the fingers point to agents who seem to have pushed the gullible and unprepared youth into an active warzone.
