A plane carrying 116 illegal Indian immigrants from the US landed at Amritsar International Airport late on Saturday night, marking the second such batch to be deported as part of the US government’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The flight arrived at 11:30 pm, delayed from the expected 10 pm.
Among the deportees, 65 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and the rest from various states, with most in the 18-30 age group. Families of some deportees were present at the airport to receive them. A third flight, carrying 157 deportees, is expected on February 16.
The deportation has caused distress among families, many of whom had invested heavily in sending their relatives abroad for a better life, only to find themselves stranded. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his concern, urging the Centre not to turn Amritsar into a “deportation centre,” and provided transportation arrangements for the return of deportees.
The matter has sparked political debate, with Mann criticizing the Centre’s actions, while opposition leaders from BJP and Congress blamed the state government for the rise in illegal immigration. The Punjab Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate human trafficking and fraudulent travel agents involved in illegal immigration schemes.
The Punjab DGP has urged citizens to report fraudulent practices and warned to only trust licensed immigration agents.
(With PTI Inputs)