Third US deportation flight lands in India, allegations of inhumane treatment emerge

A US aircraft carrying the third batch of Indian immigrants landed at Shri Guru Ram Dass International Airport in Amritsar on Sunday. The flight, which had 112 deportees on board, included the highest number of individuals from Haryana. According to official data, out of the 112 deportees, 44 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 31 from Punjab, two from Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. This latest arrival comes just a day after another US military aircraft carrying 117 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar on Saturday at around 11:35 PM.

Details of the second batch of deportees

On Saturday, a C-17 military aircraft repatriated 117 Indians, with Punjab recording the highest number of returnees at 65. The remaining included 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and Goa, along with one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. However, controversy erupted when three deportees alleged that they were forcibly restrained during the flight. They claimed that their hands were handcuffed and their legs were chained for the entire duration of the journey.

Arrests upon arrival

Among those deported on Sunday were two young men from Rajpura in Punjab’s Patiala district, who were immediately arrested upon landing. Identified as Sandeep Singh alias Sunny and Pradeep Singh, they were wanted in connection with a murder case registered in Rajpura in 2023.

The first batch and the handcuff controversy

The deportation saga began on February 5, when the first batch of 104 Indian deportees arrived in Amritsar. Several individuals from that flight claimed they were restrained with handcuffs and shackles throughout the journey, only to be unchained upon landing in India. The alleged mistreatment sparked widespread outrage across the country, with opposition leaders demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the issue with the US government. Following the backlash, India formally raised concerns with Washington regarding the treatment of deported Indian nationals.