‘Our legs had been chained:’ Second batch of Indian deportees recounts US deportation horror

A second batch of Indian nationals who entered the US illegally arrived in India aboard US army C-17 plane on Saturday (February 16). Based on media stories, the aircraft was carrying 117 individuals, with most of them handcuffed.

The Indian nationals, who’re going through the wrath of US President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration efforts, defined their ordeal upon touchdown at Punjab’s Amritsar airport.

“Our legs had been chained, and palms had been additionally cuffed,” Daljit Singh, one of many deportees, was quoted as saying by information company PTI. One other deportee, Sourav, confirmed that their legs had been chained all through the journey.

“A day earlier than yesterday, we had been informed that we are going to be shifted to a different camp. After we had been put right into a aircraft, they mentioned we’re being taken to India,” he informed PTI.

‘Caught whereas crossing border’

Harjit Singh, a deportee from Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, mentioned he was caught by US authorities on January 27 when he was trying to cross the nation’s southern border with Mexico.

“We had been caught whereas crossing the US border on January 27 and stored at a detention centre for 18 days. We had been deported on February 13, handcuffed with our legs chained,” he mentioned.

Controversy in India

When the primary US army flight landed in India, carrying 104 Indian nationals, opposition events created an enormous ruckus following stories that their palms had been cuffed and legs chained.

Some lawmakers had even requested PM Narendra Modi to lift the matter with Donald Trump throughout his go to to the White Home a number of days again.

Forward of the arrival, Congress chief P Chidambaram mentioned the Saturday’s flight can be a “take a look at” for Indian diplomacy after International Minister S Jaishankar mentioned he would increase the matter with American authorities.

“All eyes can be on the US plane which is able to land in the present day in Amritsar bringing again unlawful immigrants. Will the deportees be handcuffed and their legs tied with ropes?” Chidambaram wrote on X. “It’s a take a look at for Indian diplomacy.”

What did S Jaishankar say?

Amid a ruckus by the opposition events, the
Indian international minister final week mentioned he would have interaction with US authorities to make sure that the deportees are usually not mistreated on their means again dwelling.

“…We’re participating the US authorities to make sure the returning deportees are usually not mistreated in any method,” he had mentioned.

(With inputs from businesses)