From snakes, crocodiles to trimming beard, US deportee from Punjab recalls perilous 'donkey route'

Chandigarh: Promised a legal entry into the US, Mandeep Singh's life was at risk after he was made to deal with crocodiles and snakes, trim his beard despite being a Sikh, and having to go without food for days.

But his dream to secure a better life for his family in Amritsar came crashing down on January 27 when he was arrested by the US Border Patrol while trying to sneak into America via Tijuana in Mexico.

Mandeep was part of 116 Indians to be deported by a US military aircraft that landed at the Amritsar airport late on Saturday, the second such batch of Indians to be sent back after February 5 amid a crackdown by the Donald Trump administration against illegal immigrants.

The third batch of 112 deportees arrived in Amritsar on Sunday night.

Instead of a legal entry as promised, Mandeep's travel agent put him on the 'donkey route' – an illegal and risky pathway used by migrants to enter the US.

Speaking to reporters in Amritsar, Mandeep (38) showed several videos of the perilous journey his travel agent and sub-agents put him through.

"When I spoke to my agent, he said within one month I will be taken to the US in a legal way," Mandeep said.

The agent demanded Rs 40 lakh, which he paid in two instalments. The journey began from Amritsar to Delhi last August on a flight.

"From Delhi, I was taken to Mumbai, then Nairobi, and onwards to Amsterdam through another nation. From there, we were taken to Suriname. When I reached there, the sub-agents demanded Rs 20 lakh, which was paid back home by my family," he said.

Detailing the uncertain journey that began from there, Mandeep said, "From Suriname, we boarded a vehicle which was cramped with many people like me. We were taken to Guyana. From there it was non-stop travel for days. We crossed Guyana, then Bolivia before reaching Ecuador." The group was then made to cross the Panama jungles.

"Here we were told by fellow travellers that if we ask too many questions, we could be shot. For 13 days, we moved through the treacherous route that included 12 canals. Crocodiles, snakes – we had to bear all. Some were given sticks to deal with the dangerous reptiles," he said.

“We ate half-baked 'rotis' and sometimes noodles, as proper food was a distant thing. We used to travel 12 hours a day,” Mandeep said.

The group made a halt at Costa Rica after crossing Panama, and then began their journey to Honduras, where, Mandeep said, "We got to finally eat some rice.” “But we did not get to eat anything while crossing through Nicaragua. In Guatemala, however, we were lucky to get some curd rice to eat. By the time we reached Tijuana, my beard was trimmed forcibly,” Mandeep said.

On the morning of January 27, they were arrested by the Border Police after they were made to cross the border to sneak into the US, he said.

"The authorities told us that we will be deported. We were put in a detention centre for some days before we were sent back,” he said.

On February 5, the first US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Amritsar airport.