Families claimed that the men paid Rs 10-25 lakh each to travel agents to seek immigration to the US. (Photo for representation purpose only)
Chandigarh:
As many as 25 men from Punjab were feared drowned after their boat capsized near Panama, a survivor said.
The men believed to be in their 20s were travelling illegally to the US, according to information based on the eyewitness account.
Though the boat capsized on January 10, the information reached family members of two of the victims after 3-4 days. The families met police officials in Kapurthala town on Sunday, after which the tragedy came to light.
One of the 'survivors', Sonu, who hails from Bhogpur area near Jalandhar, shared information on the accident with family members of two of the youths - Gurjit Singh and Gurvinder Singh -- who are from villages in Kapurthala district, police said.
Families claimed that the men had paid Rs 10-25 lakh each to travel agents to seek immigration to the US.
Kapurthala district police chief Rajinder Singh said on Sunday that the travel agent, Kulwinder Singh, has been booked and police teams were trying to trace him.
Kapurthala Police has registered a case under Sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various sections of the Immigration Act against the travel agents.
Interrogation would be conducted to ascertain how many youths were on the boat.
Meanhwile, Punjab government today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister to immediately dispatch a team to the US to offer necessary assistance to the victims of a boat tragedy in Panama in which 25 men from the state are feared drowned.
"Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today had a telephonic conversation with the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who assured that the government would reach out to the victims immediately," an official spokesperson said here.
Mr Badal said the Punjab Government is also sending a team of senior officials to US to trace out the survivors of the tragedy.
The men believed to be in their 20s were travelling illegally to the US, according to information based on the eyewitness account.
Though the boat capsized on January 10, the information reached family members of two of the victims after 3-4 days. The families met police officials in Kapurthala town on Sunday, after which the tragedy came to light.
One of the 'survivors', Sonu, who hails from Bhogpur area near Jalandhar, shared information on the accident with family members of two of the youths - Gurjit Singh and Gurvinder Singh -- who are from villages in Kapurthala district, police said.
Families claimed that the men had paid Rs 10-25 lakh each to travel agents to seek immigration to the US.
Kapurthala district police chief Rajinder Singh said on Sunday that the travel agent, Kulwinder Singh, has been booked and police teams were trying to trace him.
Kapurthala Police has registered a case under Sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various sections of the Immigration Act against the travel agents.
Interrogation would be conducted to ascertain how many youths were on the boat.
Meanhwile, Punjab government today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister to immediately dispatch a team to the US to offer necessary assistance to the victims of a boat tragedy in Panama in which 25 men from the state are feared drowned.
"Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today had a telephonic conversation with the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who assured that the government would reach out to the victims immediately," an official spokesperson said here.
Mr Badal said the Punjab Government is also sending a team of senior officials to US to trace out the survivors of the tragedy.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
