NEW DELHI: India on Friday issued an advisory after several incidents involving Indian citizens who were lured to travel to Iran on false job promises and kidnapped by criminal gangs and cautioned to exercise the “strictest vigilance” regarding this. The ministry of external affairs advised not to fall prey to offers like giving visa-free entry into Iran for employment or other purposes, as the country is a “visa-free” country. “There have been a number of recent cases involving Indian citizens who have been lured to travel to Iran on false promises of employment, or with assurances that they would be sent further to third-countries for employment. Upon reaching Iran, these Indian nationals have been kidnapped by criminal gangs and ransoms have been demanded from their families for securing their release,” the MEA said in a statement. “In this context, all Indian citizens are strongly cautioned to exercise the strictest vigilance regarding such employment promises or offers. In particular, it may be noted that the Government of Iran allows visa-free entry to Indians only for tourism purposes. Any agents promising visa-free entry into Iran for employment or other purposes may well be in connivance with criminal gangs. Indian citizens are therefore advised not to fall prey to such offers,” it added. This statement came a few days after a 26-year-old man from Karala in northwest Delhi was allegedly kidnapped and tortured in Iran. The victim, Himanshu Mathur, was reportedly held captive for a week before being freed following a ransom payment of Rs 20 lakh by his family.Mathur, lured by Aman Rathi’s promise of a ship job leading to an Australian visa, completed a course in Noida and later travelled to Indonesia and Iran after paying ₹12 lakh through his brother. In Chabahar, Iran, Mathur and Rathi were abducted by a gang linked to Rathi’s “agent” Mithu, who thrashed them and demanded ₹1 crore ransom. After negotiations, ₹20 lakh was paid in Jalandhar for their release. Mathur returned traumatised to Delhi on 7 September; police registered a kidnapping and conspiracy case.
