US military aircraft with third batch of 112 Indian deportees arrives in Amritsar

A US military aircraft – a C-17 – arrived in Amritsar, carrying 112 deported Indian nationals, marking the third such deportation flight following the US crackdown on illegal immigrants. The group included 44 individuals from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, and 31 from Punjab, along with others from different states. The returnees comprised 19 women and 14 minors, including two infants. Immigration formalities were completed before they were sent to their respective destinations.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised the central government's decision, following the arrival of another flight on Saturday, to allow these deportation flights to land in Amritsar, alleging it aimed to 'defame Punjab'. Allegations of inhumane treatment, such as shackling and Sikh deportees being without turbans, were reported. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee provided 'langar' and 'dastar (turban)' to those affected.

This deportation follows two previous batches of 104 and 116 Indians sent back from the US. Many deportees described their journey as harsh, with claims of being handcuffed and having legs chained. They shared experiences of being misled by travel agents and navigating perilous routes in pursuit of better opportunities.

Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal expressed concern over the treatment, stating, 'You will be very sad to know that throughout the journey, once again, the American soldiers had tied the hands and feet of our Indian immigrants.'

Among the deportees, two individuals from Rajpura were arrested due to their involvement in a 2023 murder case.

These deportations have sparked a broader debate on the challenges of illegal migration. The government has committed to taking action against fraudulent travel agents and urged deportees to report such agents.