Gurugram: The family of a 24-year-old from Haryana learnt only recently that he died on the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war in March, after being allegedly forced to join the Russian Army.
After a tortuous five-month wait, during which he wrote to the Indian embassy in Russia and also met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Ajay Mator received news of his younger brother Ravi Mator’s death.
“After checking Ravi’s passport details, they (the embassy) replied that he was dead,” Ajay said, adding that an official also asked for his mother’s DNA for official confirmation.
Since his mother passed away in 2018, Ajay offered his own sample. He was instead asked to send the DNA sample of their father, who is currently a part of the Kanwar Yatra.
Ajay has learnt that Ravi “was blown to pieces” soon after he went to the frontline the second time in mid-March. He is now hopeful that they will be able to get back Ravi’s remains, or at least some of his clothing. “We want to at least be able to mourn his death,” said Ajay.
‘Join Russian army or go to jail’
Ravi and five other unemployed youth from Haryana’s Kalayat town were sent to Russia by a local agent, who promised them jobs in the country’s transport companies. Ravi paid the man Rs 11.5 lakh.
“Soon after he reached, Ravi said they had been cheated by the agent. The boys were asked to sign an agreement in Russian and were told to either serve in the Russian Army or go to jail for 10 years,” Ajay said.
The elder brother said the families of all six youths — the others being Baldev Singh, 32, Rajinder Singh, 30, Mohit Kumar, 22, Manjeet Kumar, 20, and Sahil Mator, 22 — complained to the police and the agent, Satyawan, was arrested.
Ravi told his family that he was first sent to the battlefield on 3 March. Three days later, he called to say he saw a missile hit a tank ahead of them, killing its occupants. Tejpal Singh from Amritsar was among those killed in the March 3 attack.
“Ravi and other soldiers climbed out of the second tank and began to retreat but were attacked by drones. One of his companions, whom Ravi rescued, was badly injured. My brother stayed in the hospital with him after that. He even showed us videos,” Ajay said.
Ravi told the family on 12 March that he was being sent back to the battlefield. That was the last time they spoke to him.
“We kept in touch with the others who were much behind Ravi that day. They told us initially that Ravi was among the missing, but in April said he was dead. I also managed to talk to a South African soldier in Ravi’s group, who said Ravi had died in March and that his body was blown apart. He said it was unlikely we would get anything,” Ajay recounted his ordeal.
The elder brother said he met Jaishankar who heard him out and promised all help. “But nothing moved on the ground,” Ajay said.
On 21 July, he sent an email to the Indian Embassy in Moscow requesting it to provide some information about Ravi.
“After checking Ravi’s passport details, they replied that he was dead,” Ajay said.
The family, he added, can get compensation but only if he travels to Moscow. “I drive a taxi to earn for a family of six. I can’t afford to go to Russia leaving them behind, particularly when the war is still on,” he said.
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‘No hope even after Modi visit’
In a series of voice messages to ThePrint, a youth from Karnal who is also stuck on the frontlines of the war with the Russian army, said the condition of Indians there is very bad.
Harsh Saroha, 19, said they had no hope of coming back to India even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of Indians in the Russian Army with Vladimir Putin during his July visit.
“We spoke to our Commanders after our family members shared newspaper clippings claiming Russia has agreed to release Indian soldiers on Modi’s request. We were told there was no such directive. Nor would we be withdrawn from the frontline. We are regularly going to the frontline. I am back today after four days,” Saroha said.
In March, Harsh had told ThePrint that he went to Russia on a tourist visa last December. But he was caught by the police in Belarus and handed over to the Russian Army where he was made to sign an agreement.
Meanwhile, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala, who wrote to Jaishankar about this in April, took to X to blast the Haryana BJP government’s “incompetence” and the “criminal neglect” of the Modi government.
He said Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini, and top leader Manohar Lal Khattar remained “silent” and “idle” while the “children of Haryana” died in Russia.
“Doesn’t the Haryana government, Khattar, and Saini have any responsibility? Don’t the BJP MLAs and MPs have any accountability? Will the Haryana government and Nayab Saini now arrange to bring Ravi Mator’s mortal remains back to Kaithal? Will they wipe the tears of the family? Will they provide financial assistance and relief to the family? Will they send their minister to Russia to bring Ravi back? Or will they continue to boast about their short-lived government in newspaper advertisements? Know that the public will not forgive you,” he wrote.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: Moscow plays hardball with New Delhi over Indians recruited into Russian military for Ukraine war