Family of Youth Trapped in Death’s Grip Appeals to Sant Seechewal for Help
PHAGWARA: A harrowing account has emerged from the family of 25-year-old Balwinder Singh, who narrowly escaped from the clutches of Donkers (criminal gangs) in Colombia’s dangerous jungles. The family revealed that they had paid agents to send Balwinder to the United States. However, the agents deceived them and handed Balwinder along with four other youths over to a donker in Colombia, where they were held captive for nearly five months.
According to the family, three of the youths were brutally tortured to death by the gang, known locally as “Donkers, ” and videos of their were circulated on social media to extort money from their families. Balwinder was also ordered to be shootout, but he miraculously managed to escape. After traveling nearly 600 kilometers through treacherous terrain, he reached a city and contacted his family after five months.
Shocked and distressed by the revelation, the family approached Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who is currently in Canada. Sant Seechewal immediately escalated the matter to the Ministry of External Affairs and contacted the Indian Embassy in Colombia, urging them to take swift action to ensure Balwinder’s safe return.
Balwinder’s mother, who visited Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi seeking help, shared that Balwinder is the only brother to two sisters, and their father has been suffering from a long-term illness. She explained that in a desperate bid to fund Balwinder’s journey, the family sold their land and even their house, all for a promise that was never fulfilled.
The family revealed that four local agents had conspired to send Balwinder to the U.S., demanding ₹32 lakhs, though the deal was finalized for ₹28 lakhs. Balwinder left home in July 2024 with hopes of reaching America but was instead routed through multiple countries and eventually left stranded in Colombia, where he was handed over to donkers.
There, he met four other young men from Punjab and Haryana who were also being held captive. The gang seized their passports and phones, held them in jungle camps, and continuously demanded money from their families. When payments were not made, the captives were subjected to horrific torture.
According to Balwinder’s family, the donker used plastic bags to suffocate victims, burned them with hot metal rods, poured melted plastic on their bodies, and inflicted deep cuts using blades. From an adjacent room, Balwinder could hear the screams of the tortured victims.
MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said that upon learning of the case, he took immediate action by informing the Ministry of External Affairs and coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Colombia to take all necessary steps for Balwinder’s safe repatriation.