A case has come to light involving 33 youths from Punjab and one from Rajasthan who have reportedly been stranded in Dili, Timor-Leste, an island country in Southeast Asia, for the past nearly five to six months after being sent abroad with the promise of employment and a better future in Australia.The families of eight of these youths on Friday contacted Rajya Sabha Member Balbir Singh Seechewal through a video call and appealed for help in ensuring the safe return of the youths to India. Seechewal, who is currently in England, contacted the Ministry of External Affairs and initiated efforts for their return.The eight affected families, who reached Seechewal’s dera in Sultanpur Lodhi, said agents had promised to arrange employment for their children in Australia and allegedly collected between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 11 lakh from each family. The total amount paid by the eight families is estimated at around Rs 3 crore.The families said they arranged the money by mortgaging their houses, land and jewellery and by taking loans. The youths were subsequently sent from different airports in India and, after journeys lasting between two and six days, were taken to Timor-Leste through Bali and Malaysia.According to the families, the agents handed the youths over to a person named Vijay, a resident of a village in Bagha Purana. Their passports were allegedly taken into custody after they were handed over to him.The victims’ families alleged that the youths were kept captive there. They also levelled allegations of intimidation and threats, forcing the youths to work against their will, withholding their wages and not providing them with adequate food.The families further said that after the youths collectively protested, their passports were returned to them. It has also emerged that the local police subsequently took a person named Vijay into custody.So far, around 10 youths have managed to return to India through their own efforts and at their own expense, while 34 youths are still reportedly stranded in Timor-Leste.Among those who remain stranded are eight from Moga, seven from Jalandhar, six from Ferozepur, five from Ludhiana, two from Fazilka, and one each from Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Patiala and Jalalabad. One of the youths is reportedly from Rajasthan.The matter came to light after the youths stranded in Timor-Leste released a video appealing to Rajya Sabha Member and Padma Shri awardee Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal for help in returning safely to their homeland.Returnees recount their ordealSandeep Singh and Rajpreet Singh of Jalandhar said they, along with 10 other youths, returned to India after a long struggle. They said that after their passports were taken away, they were threatened and intimidated and were forced to work against their wishes.According to them, they were not paid for their labour and, at times, had to survive on very little food. They said they were essentially kept captive there. The youths claimed that Vijay had previously kept several other youths captive at the same place.