Amritsar, Feb 16 – A plane carrying 116 Indian deportees from the US landed at Amritsar International Airport late on Saturday night, marking the second such batch in a series of deportations. The flight, which was scheduled to arrive at 10 pm, touched down around 11:30 pm, official sources confirmed.
Among the deportees, 65 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and others from states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the deportees are aged between 18 and 30.
This deportation is part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. A previous batch, consisting of 104 deportees, had arrived at the same airport on February 5. Many deportees, including those in this batch, had sought better opportunities in the US, often resorting to illegal routes like the “donkey route” to cross the border.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann voiced strong opposition to making Amritsar the landing point for deported individuals, stating that the city, known for its cultural and religious significance, should not be turned into a “deport center.” Mann offered assistance to return the deportees to their respective hometowns, with vehicles and flight arrangements made for those from other states.
The controversy surrounding the deportations intensified as families of the deportees, some of whom had pledged land and livestock to fund their loved ones’ migration, expressed their anguish. Many victims of human trafficking, facilitated by fraudulent travel agents, were deceived into taking illegal routes.
Punjab’s police are investigating these deceptive immigration practices. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by ADGP Praveen Sinha, has been formed to probe the involvement of rogue agents in these scams. Authorities have urged the public to report information to assist in the crackdown.
The third plane carrying 157 more deportees is expected to land in Amritsar on February 16.
