Pithoragarh, August 12, 2026: Two brothers from Pithoragarh, Anand Singh Karki and Bhupendra Singh Karki, have returned safely to India after remaining stranded in Russia for nearly 97 days. Their return was facilitated through the intervention of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and coordinated efforts by the state government.
After the brothers reached home, Dhami spoke to them over the phone to enquire about their well-being. He also discussed the circumstances surrounding their stay in Russia with the two youths and their family. The family expressed relief at seeing both sons safely back and thanked the Chief Minister and the officials involved in securing their return.
According to the family, the brothers had been promised better employment abroad through a travel agency based in Sitarganj. They alleged that approximately ₹8 lakh was collected from them in the name of overseas employment before they were sent to Russia.
The two men left India on May 5, 2026, and reached Moscow the following day. The family said that after arriving in Russia, they were not given the work they had originally been promised. Instead, they were allegedly made to perform other tasks against their wishes and were not paid for the work.
The family further alleged that the brothers were restricted from moving freely and were threatened when they refused to work. As regular communication became difficult, concern over their safety increased. During their last contact, the brothers reportedly informed their family about drone or missile activity near the premises where they were being kept, intensifying fears for their well-being.
After the matter came to his attention, Chief Minister Dhami directed officials to take urgent steps to bring the brothers back safely. Following his instructions, state officials maintained continuous coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Russia to speed up the process.
The sustained efforts eventually led to the brothers’ safe return to India after their family had waited anxiously for nearly 97 days.
Dhami said the Uttarakhand government would stand by any resident of the state facing a crisis anywhere in the world. He said the safety, dignity and interests of Uttarakhand’s citizens remain the government’s highest priority and that assistance is provided through coordination with the Union government, the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian missions abroad.
Senior UKD leader Kashi Singh Airi and social worker Ramdev Verma also remained in regular contact with the family and supported coordination with the government and concerned officials during the effort to bring the brothers home.
The family thanked Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy, state government officials and everyone who contributed to the safe return of Anand and Bhupendra.
