He was in contact with his family for three months after leaving home. After that, he lost contact, says Manoj's brother Ashok. After a long time, the family learned that Manoj had joined the Russian army. Two years after he went abroad, the family was struck by lightning.
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Manoj Singh Bhat, 30, of Melauli Municipality-7, used to drive a truck for a living before going to Europe. He used to drive other people's vehicles and it had been two years since he bought his own truck by seeking a loan. Suddenly, he decided to go to Europe for foreign employment. He had planned to earn a lot of money by going to Europe and happily raising his family, so he sold the truck and went to Europe with his friend.
According to relatives, another friend from Melauli had also gone abroad with him. Although he said he was going to Europe, Manoj had not told his family which country he was going to. He was in touch with his family for three months after leaving home. After that, Manoj's brother Ashok says that he lost contact. After a long time, the family got to know that Manoj had joined the Russian army. Two years after he went abroad, a thunderbolt struck the family.
After the news of the death of Arjun Dutt Bhatt of Melauli-9 Asur, who had joined the Russian army in April, Manoj's family also started to worry. In the meantime, the Russian embassy in Nepal called Manoj's mother for a 'DNA' test in Ashar last Ashar. After receiving the 'DNA' sample given by the mother in Ashar, the embassy has now confirmed that Manoj had died during the fighting on 17 Poush last year.
Relatives are in mourning after the death was confirmed. Ward chairman Ramchandra Bhatt said that after Manoj's body was not found, an effigy was made and cremated on 20 Poush. Manoj is the youngest of the four siblings. He has parents, a brother and a wife at home. His sister is married. According to the family, the loan taken to buy the truck has not been repaid. On top of that, Manoj had sought loans even when he went abroad. The family, immersed in grief, is also burdened by financial burden.
Two years ago, Manoj and Gopi Bista of Melauli-8 had set out on a journey together. During this time, they met a person who was sending them for foreign employment in Kathmandu. The person took 8 lakh rupees each from both of them and took the responsibility of sending them to Moscow via Dubai and enrolling them in the Russian army. After both of them paid the money, the necessary documents were prepared and preparations were made to send them to Moscow. According to relatives, the same person had sent Bhatt of Melauli-9 to Moscow via Dubai 7 days before sending Bhatt and Bista. Manoj had informed the family that Arjun was going to Europe and Poland.
Of the three, Manoj and Arjun died during the war, while Gopi has returned home safely. Bista said that the ‘broker’ took him to Moscow via Dubai and recruited him into the Russian army. After being recruited, Bista says that Manoj and himself were sent to a place called Rustaveli for training as per a one-year contract. ‘After the training, a separate team of 48 Nepalis was formed,’ he said, ‘and from Rustaveli, they were sent to the Ukrainian border, saying that they should go and fight with their mobile phones and passports.’ Bista says that 10,000 soldiers, including the 48 Nepalis, were deployed in the main fighting area on the border. ‘We have not met Arjun since we left Moscow,’ he said.
According to the plan to enter Ukraine by entering the gas pipe from Belarus, six people, including Bista, were sent through the pipe to create an open space in Ukraine. ‘From here, Manoj and I separated,’ he said, ‘I met Manoj for the last time inside the pipe while returning after completing the work assigned by my team.’ Bista says that he spent about a year fighting in that area, starving. He said that he had requested the commander several times to search for Manoj during the fighting.
He said that a team was once formed to understand the condition of many people, including Manoj. A year after being deployed in the fighting, when he was sent for medical examination after experiencing eye problems, Bista said that he got in touch with a taxi with the help of a Russian soldier. He said that after getting in touch with the Nepali Embassy in Moscow by taxi, he was able to return home safely.
