A 47-year-old former Army man from Kalimpong, Urgen Tamang, has made an appeal to the Indian government to rescue him from being sent to fight on the Ukraine frontline. Tamang alleges that he was tricked by recruitment agents who promised him a job as a security guard in Moscow, Russia. However, upon reaching Moscow, he was received by a Gorkha/Nepalese person who eventually enrolled him in the Russian army without his consent. In a three-minute video sent to his wife, Tamang blamed the recruitment agents for duping him and now being forced to fight in the ongoing war against Ukraine.

Tamang explained that initially, he was taken to an army camp in Russia for normal training, but later transferred to a jungle camp where he received training on handling guns and ammunition, indicating that he was being prepared for frontline combat in the Ukraine war. Tamang’s wife, Ambika, expressed her helplessness as she hasn’t heard from her husband since March 22 and doesn’t know his exact location. She revealed that Tamang hadn’t shared much about his relocation to Russia but said he wanted to work abroad. Ambika is now seeking the government’s assistance in rescuing her husband and has reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for help.

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has also taken up the case and communicated with the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Russia, to ensure Tamang’s safe repatriation. Bista assured that he is using all the resources available to him to bring Tamang back home safely.