CHANDIGARH: The second flight from the US, carrying 117 deported Indians, landed at Amritsar International Airport late Sunday night. Of the deportees, 65 were from Punjab, who had traveled to the US via the ‘Dunky Route’ in search of better opportunities, spent fortunes ranging from Rs 40 to Rs 55 lakh. Now, many of these youths face a bleak and uncertain future. In addition, they must repay massive loans, as their families sold land and mortgaged properties to finance their journey to the ‘dream land.Daljit Singh, 42, from Kurala Kalan village in Hoshiarpur, took two years to reach the United States, only to be deported. He paid a travel agent Rs 45 lakh to travel via the ‘Dunky Route.’Kamalpreet Kaur, Daljit’s wife, claims the agent assured them that her husband would be sent directly to the U.S. “When the agent demanded more money and we couldn’t pay, he took the general power of attorney for our five acres of land,” the family alleged.Over a month ago, the agent informed the family that Daljit had reached the U.S. but was unable to connect with them. Daljit’s family has now demanded that the government ensure the return of their land and take action against the agent.A couple from Jaula Kurdh village, SAS Nagar (Mohali), paid Rs 80 lakh to the agent to take the ‘Dunky Route,’ but they, too, were deported. Both are now suffering from depression. The husband’s father, a police officer, said, “The agents told us they would send them legally, but they deceived us. Eight months ago, we spoke to the agent, and he promised they would be sent to the U.S. within a week. The last contact we had was on February 5, and they said they had crossed into the U.S. after passing through several countries.”Mangal Singh Thind, from Nawan Kot village near Jandiala Guru in Amritsar, sold his commercial vehicles, including two trucks, and borrowed money from relatives to pay Rs 55 lakh to the agent. “It took my grandson, Jasnoor Singh, 19, nine months to reach the U.S. He was stuck in Colombia for six months before being dropped off in Guhana by air,” he said.Jaswinder, cousin of Saurabh from Chandiwala village in Ferozepur, said his cousin spent Rs 40 lakh on an agent to enter the U.S., only for his dreams to be shattered. “My sister’s son, Harjot Singh, and his cousin, Harjit Singh, from Khanowal village (Gurdaspur), arranged Rs 45 lakh each for the agent. Both have been deported after selling their agricultural land and taking loans,” said Nishan Singh from Ajnala.The family of 20-year-old Jashanpreet Singh from Pandori Rajputan village in Kapurthala sent their son to Spain in June last year, where he got in touch with an agent who sent him to the U.S. His mother, Kuldeep Kaur, said, “He went to the U.S. about a month ago but was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol and taken to a camp. We sent around Rs 45 lakh to get him abroad.”Gurmeet Singh of Talania village is among the 117 deported to India late last night. He had left for the U.S. on November 12 last year. His father, Chunni Lal, said the travel agent took Rs 40 lakh, and to pay him, they mortgaged jewelry and their house to private money lenders and borrowed money from relatives. Lal added, “We left him in New Delhi and don’t know how the agent got him to the U.S. before he was arrested by U.S. authorities.”It’s a similar story for 22-year-old Sahilpreet Singh from Taraf Behhal Bahadur village in Kapurthala, whose family paid Rs 40 lakh to the agent. He left just a month ago but was deported back. Sahil’s grandfather said, “We sold a plot, pledged our land, and borrowed money from relatives to send him. Now we fear we may lose our house too. We wouldn’t have sent him abroad if he had found a job here. We request the government to provide him with a job.”Another youth, Pardeep Bassi from New Market in Goraya near Phagwara, was deported after paying Rs 45 lakh to an agent to go to the U.S. He was apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border shortly after leaving. Pardeep had been living with his widowed mother, Surinder Kaur, while his brother was settled in Canada.Saurabh from Chandiwala village in Ferozepur sold two acres of land and paid Rs 45 lakh to go to the U.S. He entered the border on January 27 but was arrested and sent to a camp for 18 days before being deported.Mantaj Singh from Hoshiarpur shares a similar tale of deception and loss.
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