India, May 28 -- Duped by illegal travel agents, three Punjabi youngsters belonging to Hoshiarpur, Sangrur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar, have been held captive in Iran allegedly by traffickers who are demanding hefty sums from their families for their release.

In her complaint to the police, Bhagowal resident Gurdip Kaur said that Piplanwala-based agent brothers Dheeraj and Kamal Attwal lured her 23-year-old son, Amritpal Singh, with the promise of procuring a work permit visa to Australia and took Rs.18 lakh in advance. On May 1, Amritpal and two other youngsters, Husanpreet Singh from Sangrur and Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar, took the flight from Delhi international airport.

Gurdip said that on May 2, her son called up to infor...