‘We were handcuffed and in shackles’: Indian immigrant deported by US | India News

NEW DELHI: Punjab police on Wednesday dropped the alleged illegal immigrants deported by the US after President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
One of the deported Indian immigrants, Jaspal Singh from Punjab’s Fatehgarh Churian, claimed that the deportees were unaware that they were being taken to India and were handcuffed and in shackles.
“We were not aware that we were being taken to India. We thought we were being taken to another camp or detention centre. We were handcuffed and in shackles,” Singh said.
He claimed that he was duped after paying a hefty sum for a proper visa to US.
“In 2024, I gave Rs 3 lakh to agent who promised me proper visa, but defrauded me. I went to Europe and from there via ‘Dunki’ route,” he added.
Earlier, Jaspal’s cousin Jasbir Singh said, “We came to know about his deportation through the media on Wednesday morning”.
About the deportations, he said, “These are issues of governments. When we go abroad for work, we have big dreams for a better future for our families. Those have now been shattered.”
A US military aircraft transporting 104 alleged illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday. The flight, which originated from San Antonio, Texas, included 30 deportees from Punjab, 33 each from Haryana and Gujarat, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh, as reported by news agency PTI citing sources.
The flight landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport amidst tight security from Punjab Police at 1.55pm.The flight landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport amidst tight security from Punjab Police at 1.55pm.
Around 6:45pm the deportees from Punjab were taken to their respective hometowns in police vehicles after completion of all formalities. Similarly, illegal immigrants from Haryana were taken by the state police to their native places, sources said.
Footage showed a US military C-17 aircraft arriving at Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport around 1.30pm, shortly after which the deported Indian nationals disembarked.