Family, well-wishers of Kalimpong ex-serviceman seek President's help to bring him back from Russia

Kolkata: Worried about not being able to contact ex-serviceman Urgen Tamang from Kalimpong, who was allegedly forced to join the Russian forces after he reached there to work for an agency, his family members and well-wishers are planning to write to President Droupadi Murmu to seek her intervention to bring him back.

Speaking to PTI on Thursday, chairman of the board of administrators of Kalimpong municipality, Rabi Pradhan, said he has written once to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, twice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and once to the Minister of External Affairs, but was yet to receive any response.

"We have no clue about Urgen. The last time I spoke to him was around 7 PM on Monday, and since then, there has been no trace of him. We are worried about him," Pradhan said.

It was also in the same evening that Urgen spoke to his wife, Ambika, who resides in the Kalimpong with their two daughters. "The last time Urgen was seen online was around 7.17 PM on Monday," Pradhan said.

Urgen, in his mid-40s, is an ex-serviceman who went to Russia on January 18 in search of a better job. He had allegedly informed his family members during his communications from Russia that he was forced into duty with the second battalion of the 144th brigade of the Russian Army and was sent to the frontlines to fight in the ongoing Ukraine war.

Pradhan said they were hopeful that things would turn positive for Urgen after Modi's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he would be deported to India.

"As of now, there is no sign of that. We have not received a reply to any of the letters. So, as his well-wishers along with his family members, we have decided to write to the President to intervene and do what is necessary to bring him back," Pradhan said.

Pradhan mentioned that Urgen had written a couple of times to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), pleading to be brought back. In response, he allegedly received an email stating: "Trying our level best to get something positive. However, no real updates as yet," Pradhan said.