10 months of uncertainty: Kerala family awaits whereabouts of man 'missing' in Russia

Babu and Kurian went to Russia in 2024 April after a recruiting agent offered a visa assuring an attractive job but later they were forced to join the Russian mercenary

Thiruvananthapuram: Even after ten months the family of 32 year old Binil Babu from Thrissur, Kerala, who was reported killed in the Russia-Ukraine warzone while working for the Russian mercenary, is still in the dark.

While the family were initially informed that Babu was killed, the family says that later they were informed that Babu is 'missing'. The uncertainty was not only affecting emotionally, but causing practical difficulties too.

Babu was reportedly killed on January 5. His relative Jain Kurian, who was seriously injured, somehow managed to return in April.

Babu and Kurian went to Russia in 2024 April after a recruiting agent offered a visa assuring an attractive job. Later they were forced to join the Russian mercenary and participate in the war without any training. Kurian said that he had seen Babu's body at the warzone.

The Indian embassy officials in Russia had earlier informed the family that Babu was dead. In order to confirm it they also asked for DNA samples of Babu's father and those were also sent in July. But later the family was informed by the embassy officials that the Russian officials reported that Babu was 'missing', says Kurian.

When Babu's wife Joicy recently tried to make a correction in the spelling of their one year old son Jaick in some documents she was asked to produce the death certificate of Babu to confirm father's status.

Kurian, who was in a mental trauma, while returning from Russia has now managed to come out of it and started working with an automobile shop.