A total of 104 Indians who had entered the US illegally and were living illegally were deported to Amritsar on Wednesday, 5th February. These deportees were being transported by a US military C-17 aircraft, marking a significant operation in the ongoing enforcement of US immigration policies.
This event highlighted the complexities of global migration and the challenges faced by people seeking better opportunities abroad.
The Indians who were brought to Amritsar by a US Army plane were imprisoned in America for 11 days. These people were kept in different camps and were tortured as well. They were beaten up and even abused. At the airbase, their hands, legs and neck were shackled. Their faces were covered with a black cloth.
They were made to sit in shackles inside the plane. If anyone had to go lavatory, they had to raise their hands first. Following this, soldiers would come and take them to the lavatory. These people shared the hardships they faced after being deported from America.
Akash, one of the immigrants deported, revealed that 4 days ago, in the afternoon, many people including him were stuffed into two buses. He was then taken to the American airbase.
A huge US military plane was parked there. All the immigrants were taken off the bus and made to stand in a line. Their entire face was covered with a mask. After this, shackles were put on their hands, legs and neck.
An American officer shouted loudly that all the immigrants were being sent to India. Then they were asked to board the plane. When they were boarding the plane, there were many cameras installed there. American media was present as well.
Another immigrant, Muskaan from Jagraon, Punjab shared that after taking off from America, the plane kept circling in the sky for a long time. From the conversation going on there, it was found out that the plane was not given permission to land in Delhi. Following this, the plane landed in Amritsar.
The handcuffs were removed only when they got off the plane in India. Everyone was handcuffed except for 4 children aged up to 6 years. The children were kept with their mothers.
However, they were given fruit and snacks. When they felt cold, the soldiers themselves covered immigrants with blankets.
Ankit, a resident of Kasan village in Kaithal district, said that before being brought to India, he was taken from Santiago to the army base. At that time, the US government pasted posters on the bags hanging on his back, which read Indian Flight.
The officers at the airbase assured them that they would be released now, but later when they were put on the plane, they came to know that this flight would go from America to Amritsar in India.