In the quiet village of Pranpura, just a stone’s throw from the bustling metropolis of Delhi, a family finds itself at the center of an international scandal that seems ripped from the pages of a spy novel. Vikash Yadav, a man his relatives describe as a humble government employee, has been accused by the United States of orchestrating a murder plot against a Khalistani separatist leader.
The news has sent shockwaves through the sleepy village, leaving Vikash’s 65-year-old mother, Sudesh Yadav, reeling. “What can I say?” she asks, her voice tinged with disbelief. “I do not know whether the U.S. government is telling the truth or not. He has been working for the country.”
The family’s modest home stands in stark contrast to the high-stakes world of international espionage described in the U.S. indictment. Vikash’s cousin, gesturing at their simple surroundings, scoffs at the allegations. “Where will so much money come from?” he challenges. “Can you see any Audis and Mercedes lined up outside this house?”
For the Yadavs, the idea that one of their own could be involved in a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist leader, on American soil seems absurd. They paint a picture of Vikash as a dedicated public servant, far removed from the world of covert operations and murder-for-hire schemes.
“For us, he is still working for the CRPF,” insists another cousin, referring to India’s Central Reserve Police Force. “He told us he was the deputy commandant in the force.” The family claims to have no knowledge of Vikash’s alleged involvement with India’s Research and Analysis Wing spy service, as suggested by the U.S. indictment.Meanwhile, the Indian government has distanced itself from Yadav, stating he is no longer a government employee. This contradiction only adds to the family’s confusion and distress.
As international media descends on the village, the Yadavs find themselves thrust into a spotlight they never sought. Amit Yadav, another of Vikash’s cousins, sums up the family’s bewilderment: “Only the government of India and Vikash know what has happened.”
For now, the family waits in limbo, caught between their memories of a dutiful son and brother and the alarming accusations from across the ocean. As the world watches, this small-town Indian family grapples with questions that could reshape their understanding of their loved one and thrust them into the center of a complex geopolitical drama.
