January 19, 2016 7:56 PM

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Punjab police arrest two after 21 youths feared drowned in Panama boat tragedy

The Kapurthala police has arrested two unauthorised travel agents following reports that at least 21 Punjabi youths travelling in a boat headed for the US from Panama had drowned. The two agents Harbhajan Singh Sucha of Bhatnura Lubhana village and Kulwinder Singh Multani of Bhogpur were booked under the Immigration Act. They were on the lookout for a third agent, believed to be a resident of Dayalpur village.<br/><br/>IG, Jalandhar Zone, Arpit Shukla, has said that only one of the youths on the boat, Jaswinder Singh alias Sonu of Laroi village, has survived. He had called up his father Harjinder Singh back home and informed him about the incident. The police are yet to identity the remaining victims. <br/>Police sources said the capsized boat was carrying passengers more than its capacity of 10 persons. Aggrieved parents alleged that agent Multani had earlier sent many youths to the US via the sea route. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, the Punjab government has set up a control room at the Civil Secretariat to keep families of the boat tragedy victims informed. The helpline numbers are 0172-2740397 and 2740859. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal has urged the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister to send a team to the US.

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