Of 30 Punjabis deported from US, 14 reveal names of their agents; only two deportees are graduates: Prelim data

A US subject craft — an IC-17 Globemaster — carrying 104 deported Indians landed astatine the Amritsar airdrome connected February 5. Those deported included 30 adults and a 10-year-old kid from Punjab.

According to the database, at slightest 14 deportees person revealed the names oregon nicknames of their question agents, portion 2 said that they did not cognize the names of their agents. Another deportee has claimed that helium himself had applied for tourer visa for Spain.

Of 14 question agents named by the deportees, 5 are from Dubai, 1 each from Spain and Delhi, and others from Punjab including Tanda, Patiala, Ludhiana, Attari, Nawanshahr etc. Some deportees revealed nicknames of their agents specified arsenic Sabu, Doctor (from Pakistan), Happy, Rocky, Sandhu but person said that they are unaware of their afloat names oregon addresses.

According to the data, astatine slightest 16 deportees mentioned Spain arsenic a destination en way US, portion astir each had archetypal travelled to Dubai.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a elder Punjab authoritative said: “We compiled the information aft deportees had landed astatine Amritsar airport. Some of them were reluctant to stock names of their question agents who took lakhs from them portion others revealed nicknames and assertion they bash not cognize their afloat names oregon addresses. We are encouraging much deportees to uncover names of their agents truthful that ceremonial FIRs tin beryllium registered for further investigation. Dubai and Spain person emerged arsenic the communal destinations successful the journeys undertaken by astir each 30 deportees portion a fewer besides travelled via UK and Italy.”

An SIT formed by the Punjab Police to probe into quality trafficking Monday said it has registered 8 FIRs based connected the statements of the deportees.

With a imagination to settee successful the US, thousands of youths from Punjab, Haryana and different Indian states instrumentality to amerciable “Dunki route” via South American countries earlier reaching Mexico to transverse the US border. For the travel that spans crossed months and via astatine slightest 14 countries, portion immoderate scope South America via European countries specified arsenic Spain, others instrumentality South Africa route. They yet scope Mexico by crossing dense Panama jungles connected foot. This amerciable travel to the US costs lakhs and adjacent crores which aspirants wage to amerciable question agents who committedness them a “safe introduction successful the US”. The families successful Punjab extremity up selling their home, land, vehicles, buffaloes and different assets to nonstop their children to the US via dunki route.

Details of journeys

The information has besides revealed the startling details of the journeys that these deportees undertook for months with a anticipation to scope the US. From Italy to Spain, Malta to Armenia, Serbia to Bahamas and Vienna to France, the deportees person shared their journeys via respective countries to scope US-Mexico border.

For instance, a 20-year-old from Punjab shared that his cause from Dubai archetypal sent him to Italy, from wherever helium went to Spain and past Mexico. However, aft helium was denied introduction successful Mexico owed to immoderate issue, helium again went to Spain and past reached El Salvador, from wherever helium went to Guatemala earlier reaching Mexico and the US border.

A pistillate deportee shared that she near from India aft her fiancé had arranged aggregate tourer visa to Spain for the travel ahead.

An Amritsar-based deportee shared that his cause Lio from Dubai and different section cause Satnam Singh made him scope Mexico via Brazil.

Yet different shared that his cause from Spain took Rs 27 lakh successful 2022 and sent him to UK. Then successful July 2024, helium went from UK to Spain and past to Brazil earlier reaching Mexican metropolis Tijuana to transverse the border.

A deportee from Tarn Taran shared that helium archetypal went to Dubai connected tourer visa, past up to Armenia, Serbia and Vienna (Austria), past to Spain, Bolivia and entered Mexico via different countries to scope the border.

A deportee from Jalandhar went to Italy successful 2011, and aboriginal to UK, past to Spain, Guatemala and Mexico. He claimed helium does not cognize the sanction of his agent.

Another 1 from Jalandhar shared that his cause from Nawanshahr took Rs 45 lakh to put Schengen visa to Spain, past El Salvador and helium was further taken to Tijuana. Another Jalandhar deportee said that his Dubai-based cause Sabi made him transverse dense Panama jungles connected ft to scope the US border.

A deportee from Gurdaspur said that helium went connected his ain to Europe successful 2018 but aboriginal engaged a Pakistani cause named “Doctor” to scope Mexico.

A pistillate deportee from Ludhiana’s Jagraon revealed to authorities that she reached UK connected survey visa successful January past twelvemonth and aboriginal reached Mexico via Bahamas done an agent.

Another deportee said helium paid Rs 15 lakh to an cause to scope Spain via Malta and past Mexico. Another pistillate deportee besides said she went via Malta. Another deportee shared helium paid Rs 43 lakh to a Delhi-based cause to question to Mexico via Spain and Vienna.

Another Patiala deportee revealed to authorities that helium traveled via Paris and Spain to scope Guatemala and yet reached the US-Mexico border.

One deportee from Patiala said that helium lived successful UK for 10 months, past reached Spain successful November 2024 and further traveled via El Salvador to scope Mexico.