Third batch of 112 Indian deportees from US lands at Amritsar airport
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Indian deportees seated inside a US military aircraft before their arrival at Amritsar airport. File photo.
Chandigarh: A US military aircraft carrying 112 Indians who had been living illegally in the United States landed at the Amritsar airport late on Sunday, marking the third batch of deportees sent back as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigrants. The C-17 aircraft touched down at 10:03 pm, according to sources.
Of the deportees, 44 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 31 from Punjab, two from Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The group included 19 women and 14 minors, including two infants. After completing formalities such as immigration, verification, and background checks, the deportees from Punjab and Haryana were taken to their respective destinations around 4:45 am on Monday.
This batch arrived within 24 hours of another US military aircraft bringing back a previous batch of illegal immigrants. Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, Sakshi Sawhney, confirmed the arrival of 112 deportees, adding that everyone was in good health and food arrangements had been made. Transportation was arranged to take the deportees to their native places. Those from Punjab were transported by vehicles arranged by the state government, while two buses from the Haryana government were provided for those from that state. Deportees from other states were flown to Delhi and then taken to their respective destinations on additional flights.
Family members of some deportees were present at the airport to welcome them. On February 5, a US military aircraft had brought back the first batch of 104 illegal Indian immigrants, while another 116 deportees arrived on Saturday. This has sparked criticism from several leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to "defame Punjab as part of a conspiracy."
Among the deportees arriving on Saturday, several men claimed they were shackled during the journey, and Sikh deportees were reportedly not allowed to wear their turbans. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the US authorities for allegedly denying Sikh deportees their turbans. SGPC officials, who were on hand to provide food and transport, gave turban cloths (dastar) to the affected individuals.
Mann said that the mass deportations should serve as an eye-opener, urging young people to abandon the idea of illegally migrating abroad and instead focus on contributing to the socio-economic development of Punjab. Among the second batch of deportees, two individuals from Rajpura in Patiala district were arrested upon their arrival in connection with a murder case. Sandeep Singh alias Sunny and Pradeep Singh were wanted in a murder case filed in Rajpura in 2023.
The second batch of deportees shared stories of hardships endured during their illegal migration, with many claiming to have been deceived by travel agents. Daljit Singh from Kurala Kalan village recounted his journey to the US via the "dunki" route, a dangerous and illegal path taken by migrants to enter the country. His experience highlights the grim reality faced by many migrants who fall prey to fraudulent agents in their pursuit of a better life.
Sourav, a 20-year-old from Chandiwala village in Ferozepur district, described the inhumane conditions of the journey, saying, "We were shackled, our hands and legs chained." Many deportees and their families now face financial ruin, as they had mortgaged their farmland and cattle to fund the costly journey abroad.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal also condemned the shackling of deportees, calling it "inhumane." He pledged that the government would take action against the travel agents responsible for deceiving these migrants and urged deportees to come forward with their complaints.
With PTI inputs