Promised Job, Sent to Russia-Ukraine War: Bikaner Youth Returns Home in a Coffin; Family Demands Probe

Bikaner: A tragic incident linked to the Russia-Ukraine war has emerged from the Lunkaransar area of Bikaner district, where a youth who had travelled to Russia on a student visa has died after allegedly being forcibly deployed to the war zone.

The deceased has been identified as Ajay Godara, a resident of Arjansar village in Lunkaransar tehsil. According to his family, Ajay went to Russia on November 28, 2024, on a student visa. However, after reaching there, he was allegedly lured with money, recruited into military-related work, and later sent to the Russia-Ukraine war zone.

Family members said Ajay was initially told that he would be assigned kitchen-related work, but was later taken to the Ukrainian border. They claimed he was promised three months of training, but within four days, he was allegedly deployed to the battlefield.

Ajay had sent two video messages to his family around four months ago, expressing fear for his life and pleading for help. In the videos, he stated that what he was told before travelling was different from what was being done to him after reaching Russia, adding that the situation was dangerous and could cost him his life.

In one of the videos, Ajay said, “What they told us before coming here is very different from what is actually happening here.” He warned that the situation was life-threatening, and he feared for his safety.

Around seven days ago, the family received an email informing them of Ajay’s death. His mortal remains arrived in Delhi on Thursday, from where the body is being taken to his native village for last rites.

In the months before his death, the family had repeatedly appealed to Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Cabinet Minister Sumit Godara for help in ensuring his safety and possible return. Ajay’s father, Mahavir Godara, has said that the family never anticipated that his son would end up in a war zone when he left home on a study visa.

Villagers and family members are now demanding a high-level inquiry by the central government to investigate how a youth on an educational visa was allegedly drawn into military operations and to prevent similar incidents affecting other Indian students and workers in future.

Ajay’s case echoes wider concerns about Indian nationals who have gone abroad-particularly to Russia on student or work-related visas and have later reported being misled, coerced into service roles, or deployed near active conflict zones.

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