Family of Kalimpong ex-serviceman receives response from Putin’s office on plea to return

PTI, Kolkata, Jul 25, 2024 : The office of Russian President Vladimir Putin is understood to have responded to a communication by a friend of ex-serviceman Urgen Tamang from West Bengal’s Kalimpong, who was allegedly forced to join the Russian Army after he landed a job in that country and made appeals for return.

The email from Putin’s office, written in Russian, said the request has been forwarded to the country’s defence ministry.

A copy of the mail, sent to the chairman of the Kalimpong Municipality’s board of administrators, Rabi Pradhan, on July 23, is with PTI.

“We are hopeful that things will gather steam after receiving this letter (from Putin’s office),” Pradhan told PTI.

He had sent an email addressed to Putin, on Tamang’s behalf, through the Russian Embassy in Delhi on July 21.

“We had forwarded all necessary documents regarding Urgen’s appeal to help him return to India,” Pradhan said.

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

Pradhan said they were hopeful that things would take a positive turn for Urgen after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Putin.

He also said that he spoke to Urgen on Wednesday evening.

“Urgen told me that he and some others were taken to another bunker 50 km away from their earlier location. However, I could not contact him since last evening,” Pradhan said.