Rs 44.70 cr paid to agents for 'dunki' to US via 32 countries from Punjab: Report

Indians are attempting to reach the United States via at least 32 countries using the 'dunki' route and in the process, a total of Rs 44.70 crore has been paid to agents by deportees to get to the US, as per the Punjab government data.

According to a report in The Indian Express, after analysing 19 FIRs it was clear that agents are using diverse routes like China, Guinea, Kenya, Egypt, Kenya, Czech Republic, and Belarus among others to help Indians reach the US.

Five of the 36 agents booked in these FIRs are settled abroad despite being natives of Punjab, while others are all natives of Punjab and Haryana. The FIR also names a farm union leader from Moga who also reportedly ran an immigration business.

As per the analysis, most of the deportees who approach these agents come from small villages and towns and the process of 'dunki' takes anywhere between three months and a year, only to end in deportation.

The publication reveals the common modus operandi of the agents. As Indians tread on their illegal journey to the US, the agents collect money from their family members back at home in tranches. In some cases, the agents would also demand more money from the family than previously agreed upon and would threaten saying that the journey of their kin would not progress till the updated amount was paid.

As per the analysis, many of these people who hopped from country to country and spent around Rs 40-45 lakh each on average, were suspects in cases in India, farmers, and truck drivers, and had to sell their ancestral lands, houses, and jewellery to begin their journey.

Meanwhile, the Punjab police has set up a four-member SIT to investigate the matter and is considering approaching the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

ADGP (NRI affairs) PK Sinha, who heads the SIT told the publication that that the agents facilitating the illegal immigration have a "well-oiled" network, and despite the cops pushing deportees to register FIRs, not all have come forward yet.

However, 36-year-old truck driver Jaspal Singh from Gurdaspur named two Punjabi agents who are currently settled in Spain, and Germany. They allegedly took Rs 30 lakh from him assuring to send him to the US "legally" but still opted for the 'dunki' route.

Echoing similar sentiments, other people that the publication spoke to also paid up to Rs 60 lakh to get to the US, ultimately failing.

As per a statement given by 41-year-old Harwinder Singh, after paying Rs 42 lakh to agents, he was first sent to Thailand, then China, and then came back to Mumbai as his first attempt failed. On his second try, he reached Brazil and then crossed the Darien Gap to reach the border.

Darien Gap is the only land route that connects South and North America. This is a tedious route that requires crossing rainforests, mountains and rivers before reaching the Mexican border. As per the FIR, many deportees had taken up this route where after managing to reach Brazil they "illegally crossed Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala before finally reaching Mexico to cross the US border," the publication reported.

Some even complained that they had been promised a journey in “cruise ships and flights”, but were instead taken on boats and had to walk miles. Other shared experiences that instead of the US, they were sent to places like Prague (Czech Republic) and Spain.

One deportee had to even spend three days in the Russian jail after he caught trying to cross the Russia-Belarus border illegally. However, in his third attempt, he did manage to reach the US.

In three deportation flights that arrived in India since February 5, Punjab residents total 126 of the 333 illegal Indian immigrants sent back from the US, followed by 110 from neighbouring Haryana and 74 from Gujarat.

The special investigation team of the Punjab Police has been coordinating with cybercrime units, financial authorities and central agencies to resolve the identities of the entire network of human traffickers.

Director General of Police Punjab Gaurav Yadav reiterated that the Punjab Police is fully committed to dismantling these fraudulent immigration syndicates. He urged victims to come forward and assured them of strict legal action against culprits.

(With PTI inputs)