Telangana Man Feared Dead On Russian Frontline. Family Seeks Answers

A message from one Telangana man, allegedly forced into Russia's war, has left another family fearing the worst. Relatives of Mohammed Afzal Khan, 43, of Banswada in Telangana's Kamareddy district, are now pleading with the Foreign Ministry and the Indian Embassy in Moscow to verify reports that he was killed near the Ukraine frontline last week. 

Khan's family approached Foreign Minister S Jaishankar after Sirshu Ashok, who was also reportedly misled into joining the Russian Army, sent a voice message to his wife saying Khan had died near the Russia-Ukraine frontline a week ago. The message was subsequently forwarded to Khan's family, though his death is yet to be officially confirmed. 

Now, Khan's family has urged the foreign ministry to contact Russian authorities to establish his whereabouts and, if his death is confirmed, facilitate the identification and repatriation of his body. 

They also sought urgent efforts to secure the safe return of the other three men.

Khan is among four men from Telangana who travelled to Russia seeking civilian employment but allegedly ended up in military service. Their families have said that Bhukya Ravinder, Sirushu Ashok, Megavath Prakash and Mohammed Afzal Khan were promised jobs in the oil industry and later found themselves in military camps and conflict zones.

Families said that after reaching Russia, the four initially worked in grass-cutting/gardening-related work. Though they reportedly worked for about five months, they were paid only for about two months and later became unemployed.

Later, they were allegedly induced into Russian military-related duties with promises of citizenship and monetary benefits. They were also made to carry bombs and perform dangerous frontline duties and subjected to physical harassment, resulting in injuries, the family members claimed.

The families approached the Telangana government on September 29, seeking intervention for their safe return.

The Indian government has previously pursued cases involving Indians' recruitment into the Russian military. In August, the Foreign Ministry said that 227 Indians had been recruited, 139 discharged, and 51 had died for Russia.

The families' appeal follows earlier accounts of recruitment-related distress involving Telangana nationals. Afzal's case now raises fresh concerns about the safety of Indians caught in the conflict and the urgent need for verified information from Russian authorities.