The Indian nationals deported from the US after illegally entering the country reported that they were returned on a military aircraft, with their hands and legs bound throughout the flight. A US military plane carrying 104 deportees, including 19 women and 13 minors, arrived at Amritsar airport on Wednesday, coinciding with a heightened crackdown on illegal immigration.
One deportee, Jaspal Singh from Gurdaspur, Punjab, stated that they were only unshackled upon landing in India. Singh, 36, revealed he spent 11 days in custody before his return. “We thought we were being taken to another camp. Then a police officer informed us we were being sent back to India. We remained handcuffed and chained until we reached Amritsar,” Singh reported.
Contrary to these allegations, government officials dismissed claims regarding the deportees being restrained, asserting that circulating images actually depicted Guatemalan nationals and not Indians.
Singh, along with others, was apprehended by US Border Patrol on January 24 after falling victim to a fraudulent travel agent who misled him about a legal route into the US. “I asked the agent for a proper visa, but he deceived me,” Singh elaborated, noting the arrangement cost him Rs 30 lakh, a significant sum for which he borrowed money.
Another deportee, Harwinder Singh from Punjab, recounted a treacherous journey through multiple countries, stating, “We crossed hills, and at one point, our boat nearly capsized at sea, but we managed to survive.” He witnessed tragedy firsthand, including a person dying in the Panama jungle and another drowning at sea.
Another individual shared that belongings worth Rs 30,000 to 35,000 were stolen during the perilous journey known as the ‘donkey route’ to the US.
Among the first group of 104 deportees, 33 hailed from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, and smaller numbers from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh. The group included minors, with a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven.
This deportation incident comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Washington for discussions with US officials. Reports indicate that US authorities have compiled a list of 18,000 undocumented Indian immigrants slated for repatriation.