An Indian couple, Dhruv Patel and Dipika Patel, were kidnapped in Azerbaijan while on their way to the US through a risky path known as the 'donkey route.' Agents lured the couple but then beat and threatened them, saying their kidneys would be sold if they did not pay the demanded money. The couple already paid $71,734, partly through cryptocurrency. Thanks to quick diplomatic help from India in an operation called 'Operation Mahisagar,' the couple was rescued within 24 hours. The timeline shows the couple left home on January 30. They went to New Delhi and stayed in a hotel arranged by the agents. On February 1, they flew to Baku, Azerbaijan. Their journey stopped there when unknown people kidnapped them and took them to an abandoned house. The kidnappers used WhatsApp video calls to show family members how Dhruv was beaten. They demanded money and threatened to sell both of their kidneys. Family members contacted local politicians in India. Diplomatic intervention helped end the ordeal quickly. What is the 'donkey route'? It is a slow, hard, and dangerous way to enter North America and the US without a proper visa. It starts with flying legally to Baku on a tourist visa, then traveling illegally to Russia or Georgia, then moving through Eastern Europe, Mexico, and finally the US. Last year, 54 men who entered the US through this route were deported to India. A BBC report said these travelers spent millions by selling everything they had for promises of odd jobs in the US. Sadly, many spent years in jail before being sent back. None had a clear route plan, but the journey included months of travel by bus, boat, and walking through jungles.