Rohtak, Nov. 4 -- Families of 55 Indian youths reportedly stranded in the Russia-Ukraine war zone held a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Monday, urging the Union government to ensure their safe return to India. The families said they have managed to gather information about 13 of the stranded youths - five each from Haryana and Rajasthan, two from Jammu, and one from Punjab. Two men from Haryana - Sonu Sheoran of Hisar's Madanheri village and Karam Chand of Kaithal - were confirmed dead in September; their bodies were brought home in October. Jai Bhagwan Dangi, a social activist from Haryana who has been assisting the families, said they met Vidyuti Nath Pandey, personal assistant to External Affairs minister S Jaishankar. Pandey reportedly assured them that the minister would visit Russia this month and raise the matter with Russian authorities. "These youths had gone to Russia for language courses but were tricked into joining the war zone under the pretext of security guard jobs," Dangi said. "Instead of being employed as guards, they were inducted into the Russian army. Their families are pleading with the Indian government to intervene and bring them home safely." Several families narrated similar experiences. Ram Prasad Jangra, a resident of Kumharia village in Fatehabad, said his son Ankit went to Russia in February this year. Another villager, Vijay Punia, had gone there in July last year and returned in March, only to go back on a business visa later. "Vijay was offered a security guard job by a Russian woman he met at a restaurant where he worked. On August 20, he was sent to the war zone. Both Ankit and Vijay have been out of contact for several days," Jangra said. In Hisar, Aman Punia from Madanheri village posted a video on social media appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government to rescue him and other trapped Indians. "After being offered a job as a security guard, I was tricked into joining the Russian army. After just 12 days of training, I was sent to fight against Ukrainian forces," Aman said in a video shared on X by Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat. Similarly, Bakshi Ram from Taimurpur village in Rohtak said his son Sandeep was promised a cook's job and a diploma in Russian language by an agent from Charkhi Dadri. "He went to Russia in September 2024 but was forced into the Russian army after a brief 15-day training. Two weeks ago, he sent us a video saying his life was in danger," Bakshi Ram said. "We appeal to the government to bring our children back. He went abroad to support the family and escape unemployment here," he added. The families said they would continue their protest until the government takes concrete steps to secure the safe repatriation of the stranded youths....