BATHINDA, Oct 5 — Yurinder Singh’s (not his real name) joy knew no bounds when he tied the nuptial knot with Vicky, a citizen of the USA in January, 1997, with the aim to go abroad for better fortune.

Today, Yurinder Singh of Mansa district is a broken man and his family members shattered. His wife Vicky has not made any effort to call him to the USA. Yurinder Singh is now trying to get back the Rs 4 lakh which he paid to a travel agent for arranging his entry to America by getting him married to a citizen of the USA.

Avtar Singh of Bathinda district has also been running from pillar to post to get his money back from the travel agent who had arranged his marriage with a US citizen Marleen, on the same day when Yurinder Singh got married.

Six youths — Yurinder Singh, Avtar Singh, Parminder Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Raju and Vinod — who were aspiring to go to the USA by hook or by crook were contacted by a USA-based travel agent who was earlier a resident of Bathinda.

The travel agent brought six women to Bathinda from Bakersfield (California). A close relative of the travel agent accompanied the prospective brides.

The six women, Vicky, Tracy, Barbara, Pam, Marleen and Sharon were also accompanied by their relative Batty. They were made to stay in different hotels and homes at different locations of Punjab.

Two of the six grooms belong to Bathinda city, one to Mansa district, one to Moga district and one to Calcutta city. Gurcharan Singh (name changed) came specially from Italy to get married to a US citizen. All these youths paid heavy amounts ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh to the travel agent for their entry to the USA.

Sources said that the travel agent got the six couples married in a local gurdwara.

However, the six youths, who had paid a heavy amount to realise their dream, have been waiting in vain for the past four years to hear from their wives and the travel agent who had managed this show.

One of the victims said the travel agent had got prepared their passports in fake names. He was now threatening them that a criminal case would be registered against them for making a fake passport if they raised a hue and cry for taking their money back from him.