AMRITSAR: A US military aircraft carrying over 100 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amritsar.
According to sources, the Indians were deported on a US C-17 aircraft, with their hands and feet cuffed after Indian authorities were notified.
A senior official told News18 that the largest number of deportees are from Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
During initial questioning, the deportees told authorities that they had used different agents and stayed at multiple locations before being apprehended.
“We have been informed that these Indians paid a hefty amount to enter the US illegally. They were cheated by various agents and are victims in a way, but they also voluntarily chose illegal routes to enter the country,” a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity.
“Local authorities, along with central agencies, have begun questioning them upon their arrival in Punjab. Allegations range from visa violations to involvement in unauthorised networks. Some were misled by agents, while others unknowingly became part of a larger scheme,” the official added.
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“The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is closely monitoring the situation, working alongside law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to determine the next steps. Whether they will be prosecuted or not will be decided after an initial round of questioning by different agencies,” the official stated.
Indian agencies expect more such deportations from the US in the coming days.