What began as a dream of a better future through overseas education has turned into a nightmare for a family from Punjab, whose sole breadwinner has been missing for the past eight months after allegedly being recruited into the Russian military during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War.

The distressed family on Thursday approached Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal at Nirmal Kutia, seeking help in tracing Heera Singh, a resident of Amritsar district, who had gone to Moscow on a study visa in hopes of building a better life for his family and securing treatment for his specially-abled child.

His wife, Navdeep Kaur, narrated how financial distress and the serious medical condition of their eldest son allegedly pushed her husband into accepting an offer that eventually dragged him into the war zone.

According to the family, Heera Singh travelled to Moscow in October 2024 on a study visa. While staying there, he allegedly came in contact with agents and recruiters who promised him Rs 14 lakh at the time of recruitment and a monthly salary of Rs 2.5 lakh if he joined the Russian army.

Navdeep Kaur said her husband initially hesitated to join the military but later agreed after being assured that he would not be sent to the battlefield.

“They told him he would only be involved in supplying food to soldiers and helping in digging bunkers away from direct combat zones,” she said.

The family said the financial package became difficult to ignore because their six-year-old son suffers from Cerebral Palsy, a severe neurological disorder affecting movement, speech, hearing, muscle coordination and overall brain development.

According to the family, the child cannot walk, speak, hear, sit properly or eat without assistance and requires constant medical attention and care.

The family said rising medical expenses and uncertainty surrounding the child’s treatment became one of the main reasons behind Heera Singh’s decision to accept the offer.

Holding her son close while feeding him water through a syringe at Nirmal Kutia, Navdeep Kaur repeatedly broke down while describing the family’s struggle.

“She believed the money would help secure treatment and a better future for their children,” said a family member present during the meeting.

According to Navdeep Kaur, after barely 15 days of military training, Heera Singh was sent towards the war front. She said he later informed the family over phone calls that the situation was extremely dangerous and completely different from what had been promised to him.

She last spoke to him in September 2025. Since then, there has been no contact for the past eight months, leaving the family trapped in uncertainty, fear and emotional trauma.

Apart from their specially-abled eldest child, the couple also has two younger children aged two-and-a-half years and one year.

Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal assured the family that he would remain in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Moscow to help trace the missing youth.

He also assured assistance for the treatment of the child through the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and pledged support for the education of all three children.