What began as a dream of a better future in Europe turned into a nightmare of hunger, freezing temperatures, alleged abuse, and imprisonment for Rohit, a 24-year-old from Haryana’s Kurukshetra district.

A resident of Dungi village in Pehowa, Rohit left India in September last year after his family allegedly paid lakhs to a travel agent, who promised a legal passage to Italy. Instead, he became a part of an illegal immigration racket through the ‘Dunki route’ via Dubai, Russia, and Belarus, he told the media on Tuesday.

Rohit returned to India on June 13 after spending nearly seven months in a Belarusian jail. He alleged that he was handed over to a Pakistani agent, who confiscated his money, repeatedly demanded more payments, and subjected him to inhumane living conditions.

“I submitted a written complaint to the police today. The agent, Vijay Sharma, had promised Italy as my final destination. My family paid a total of Rs 9.5 lakh to Sharma. I have requested the police to take legal action against the agent,” Rohit told The Indian Express.

He further claimed that while stranded in forests near the Belarus-Latvia border, he only received bread and packaged beef. “I was given bread and packaged beef. After I found out it was beef, I refused to eat it and survived only on bread,” Rohit alleged. “We were left in the forests in freezing weather. There were no proper facilities, and we had to endure extreme cold,” he added.

The Kurukshetra police confirmed receiving the written complaint.

According to Rohit, his family sold a plot of land and borrowed money to pay the Pehowa-based agent. “On July 7, 2025, my father, Manoj Kumar, transferred Rs 1 lakh to the travel agent’s account and also gave him my passport. On September 21, 2025, the agent got me on a flight from New Delhi to Dubai. The next day, the Pakistani agent got me on a flight from Dubai to Russia. I landed in Russia and was taken to a hotel by another contact. I stayed there in the hotel for 10-15 days,” he stated in his police complaint.

Rohit claimed the Pakistani agent confiscated the dollars he was carrying and began demanding additional money. “He threatened me and another youth with knives. We were constantly pressured to arrange more funds from our families,” he added. When the money did not arrive, Rohit claims he and another youth were subjected to physical abuse, intimidation, and neglect.

As conditions worsened, Rohit said he contacted his family. Alarmed by his condition, they allegedly arranged additional funds. However, Rohit claims the Indian travel agent failed to transfer the money to the Pakistani man, resulting in further harassment and threats. “My family kept arranging money after seeing my condition on video calls, but the harassment only increased,” he said.

Rohit alleged that he spent nearly 10 days in the forests in Belarus under extremely harsh conditions. Without proper shelter, blankets or adequate food, he says he struggled to survive freezing temperatures while smugglers prepared attempts to move migrants across the European Union border. The experience, he claims, left him exhausted and traumatised.

After days in the forests, Rohit and several other migrants were allegedly taken to the Latvian border in an attempt to enter Europe illegally. According to Rohit, they were detained shortly after crossing. “They broke our phones, made us sit for hours, beat us and gave us electric shocks while questioning us,” he alleged. He claims the group was eventually forced back across the border into Belarus and warned not to return.

After spending several days wandering through border forests, Rohit says he met the same Pakistani agent, who continued to demand money. “Sharma told my family I have reached Italy. He demanded more money, and my father gave him Rs 5 lakh. Despite this, the Pakistani agent handed me over to the police there. Eventually, I was deported from Belarus on June 12. I landed at Delhi airport on June 13,” Rohit’s complaint states.

During his incarceration, he was allowed limited communication with his family. His return was facilitated by the Indian embassy, which helped arrange an emergency passport. After his family purchased travel tickets, Rohit finally returned home on June 13.

“We sold our plot and borrowed money because we trusted the agent. Instead of sending our son legally, he was pushed into a dangerous network that nearly destroyed his life,” Rohit’s father, Manoj Kumar, who works as a taxi driver, alleged.