'Shackled for 25 hours': Deportees from Haryana share ordeal as their US dream dashed

Ambala/Kurukshetra: "My feet are swollen. I was shackled for 25 hours (on the flight)," said 45-year-old Harjinder Singh, who was part of the latest batch of Indians deported by the US.

Expressing his ordeal, Singh also said he spent Rs 35 lakh to migrate to the US for a better life but his dreams of doing something good for the family are dashed now.

The latest batch of illegal migrants included around 50 people from Haryana's Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Jind and Panipat districts, officials said.

A plane carrying them landed at the Delhi airport late on Saturday night.

The migrants -- most of them in the 25-40 age group -- expressed dejection at the deportation, saying that they had spent lakhs of rupees by selling off plots, borrowing from relatives and draining out their savings to migrate to the US in pursuit of a better future.

Most of them had taken the treacherous 'donkey route' to enter the US.

They were brought to their respective districts in Haryana and handed over to their families, the officials said.

Harjinder Singh from Jagoli village in Ambala said he spent Rs 35 lakh for migrating to the US.

"I learnt cooking there and stayed in Jacksonville, Florida. My job there was good. But the Trump (administration) captured me and sent me back to India," he told reporters.

"I am very upset. My lakhs of rupees have now gone wasted," he said.

Responding to a question, Singh said he raised the money through his hard work in the farming sector here.

"I liked America. It is a good country but (President) Trump sent us back.

Many Indians have been deported," he further said.

Singh also showed his feet, saying they were swollen because of being shackled for 25 long hours. "My feet are swollen. It should not have been done. I was shackled for 25 hours," said Singh.

He also sought help from the Centre for his family.

Another deportee Harish from Kalsi village in Karnal said he went to the US in August last year.

Harish said he moved to the US from Canada where he had gone on a work permit in 2023.

He was working in a store, from where he was detained by the US authorities in February.

Naresh Kumar, who was among the deportees, said that an agent promised to send him to the US for a fee of Rs 42 lakh, but he had to ultimately eke out Rs 57 lakh.

"I first paid Rs 42 lakh by selling one acre of land. Thereafter, I paid Rs 6 lakh that was borrowed on interest. My brother sold a piece of land to raise Rs 6.5 lakh. Then my relative paid Rs 2.85 lakh in June. A total of Rs 57 lakh was paid," Naresh, who is from Kaithal, said on Sunday.

Admitting that it took him two months to enter the US through the 'donkey route', Naresh said he would not advise anyone to do so. He spent 14 months in jail before being deported to India.

Among the deportees, five men hailed from Kuruksehtra district.

Investigating Officer Hans Raj said that the deported youths were brought to Kurukshetra on Sunday night and, after completing the necessary legal formalities, were handed over to their parents.

"No family has filed any police complaint so far," he said.

Attempts to contact several of the deported individuals were unsuccessful. Most refused to talk, and some declined to answer calls altogether.

Surinder Pal, father of Pradeep Kumar (27) from village Tikri near Pehowa in Kurukshetra, did not respond to repeated phone calls.

Pradeep's elder brother, who briefly took the call, declined to comment, saying he would speak only after discussing the matter with Pradeep. However, subsequent attempts to reach the family went unanswered.

Village Sarpanch Sadhu Singh said one of the deportees came from a family of marginal farmers.

"He went to Italy about three years ago, and from there, he travelled to the USA through the 'donkey route'. He was arrested there and remained in jail for 11 months before being deported," Sadhu Singh said.

Efforts to contact Happy Saini (30) from village Karah Sahib, also failed.

A local said the parents have sent their son to stay with relatives to avoid any questions from the media.

Pipli Station House Officer Satish Kumar said another deportee, Vikram Singh (30), a resident of Sector 3, Kurukshetra, returned home Monday morning.

"He was exhausted after the long flight in custody and requested some time before giving a statement. He assured that he would meet the police in a day or two after consulting his parents," the SHO said.

Among the deportees, four youths -- Sagar, Harsh, Abhishek and Surya Pratap -- hailed from Yamunanagar district.

Yamunanagar Superintendent of Police, Kamaldeep Goyal, said none of these youths have yet lodged any complaint.

Earlier this year, American authorities had deported many youths from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat.

After Donald Trump assumed office as the US President in January this year, the country's law enforcement agencies have launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants.