Rs 50 Lakh, No Food For Days, Corpses On Way: Deportees Narrate Perils Of 'Dunki Route'
Deportees claimed that initially, they were promised a direct flight to the US without complications by the agent but they had to face severe hardships, and limited food on the "Dunki Route".
After the first US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Amritsar airport on February 5, the second military aircraft carrying 119 landed on February 15 and the third on February 16.
A few of the deportees after returning to their respective homelands, shared all the bizarre incidents how they faced while making it into the US using the "Dunki Route". They claimed that initially, they were promised a direct flight to the US without complications by the agent but they had to face severe hardships, including limited food, and confiscation of mobile phones in the "Donkey Route".
One of the Indian deportees identified as Harpreet Singh, a 21-year-old resident of Ghanshyampur village in Amritsar, was from the United States return. Upon returning to his village, he shared his ordeal and journey with full struggles. He explained that his father was unable to work much due to an injury, and the family did not own any land for farming.
Harpreet had attempted to join the Indian Army but was unsuccessful. This led him to consider moving to the U.S. His family arranged everything through an agent, and he traveled through Italy, Spain, Guatemala, and several other countries before crossing the Mexico border wall into the U.S. on January 24.
He revealed that upon reaching Spain, he was informed that he was being taken to the U.S. via the "Dunki Route," contrary to the initial promise of a direct flight without complications. He had to travel from one country to another in vehicles and even walked for three days under extremely harsh conditions. He faced severe hardships, including limited food, and his mobile phone was confiscated. His parents had taken a loan of Rs 40 lakh to fund his journey.
Upon arriving in the U.S., he was immediately arrested and placed in a detention center. On the 13th, he and others were put on a plane without being informed of their destination. It was only when a U.S. official of Pakistani origin told them that they were being sent back to India that they realized what was happening. Their hands and feet were tied during the flight, and food provisions were minimal.
Harpreet expressed that if the government provided adequate employment opportunities for the youth in India, there would be no need for anyone to seek a future abroad.
Family Solds House To Fund Son's Journey
Among the 33 people from Haryana deported from the U.S in the third batch, another individual identified as Anuj, a resident of Jundla village in Karnal, also shared his painful experience of how four months ago, his family sold their house to fund his journey to the U.S. However, only Anuj’s father appeared before the media, while Anuj and other family members remained out of sight. His father, Ashok Kumar, shared details of their ordeal.
Anuj’s father revealed that four months ago, he fell for an agent’s false promises and sent Anuj to the U.S., selling their house to arrange the necessary funds. However, Anuj was eventually deported by the U.S. government.
Ashok Kumar explained that the agent initially promised to get Anuj to the U.S. within 1.5 months, but the process took longer. He mentioned that as soon as former U.S. President Donald Trump returned to power, deportation actions intensified. The agent charged them Rs 45 lakh, which they had already paid.
He further urged the government to support those who lost their properties trying to send their children abroad. He admitted that the decision to sell their home was driven by Anuj’s insistence, and they gave in to his wishes, hoping for a better future for him. Ashok also demanded strict action against the agents who facilitated illegal immigration through the "Dunki Route."
Unsafe "Donkey Route"
The next deportee identified as Jitendra Kumar from Bandala Village of Punjab also shared his experience in a face-to-face interview with an ABP reporter saying, " My friends in America used to tell me how the lifestyle of America is better than India. But I guess life in America as per my experience is worse than in India. My flight was from September 17 from Mumbai to Guyana and from there I had to go through the "Dunki Route" and had to walk on foot a lot. This journey was for 3 days through Panama forest. We had to travelled a long journey with insufficient food and water. It was very hard to get proper food and sometimes we had to live with having raw rice. The agent promised a direct flight to the US in a legal way with charges of Rs 50 Lakh but everything was a lie "
"Every day we were expecting a good day amid this journey but it got worse than the previous day. We also had to cross the route walking over the dead bodies lying on the route. The pressure of 'Dunker' was so high that a person even after depression had to go to end the journey. When we were caught in the USA by the police, the officials gave us ill-treatment as they were not providing proper food and they were also not allowing us to go to the bathroom. Our hands and legs were handcuffed. In the end, I would call the youngsters that whoever is planning to go to the US, use the legal way with a proper visa and avoid the "Dunki Route" as it is not safe," he added.
ALSO READ | Third US Military Plane Carrying 112 Indian Deportees Lands In Amritsar
Top Headlines
