Inside the US deportation of 104 Indians: ‘handcuffed, legs chained, struggled to use washroom for 40 hours’

In a harrowing account of deportation, Harwinder Singh, a 40-year-old man from Tahli village in Punjab, shared the grueling details of his 40-hour journey back to India. Harwinder was among the 104 individuals deported by the US in the first batch, as part of a crackdown on illegal immigrants. The group was transported on a U.S. military C-17 Globemaster aircraft, which made four fuel stops before landing in Amritsar on Wednesday.

The experience was described as "worse than hell" by Harwinder, who recounted being handcuffed and his legs chained, unable to move from his seat during the entire journey. "We were not allowed to use the washroom unless we begged for it. They would unlock the lavatory door, push us in, and lock it behind us," he said. Adding to the misery, he mentioned that they were forced to eat while still handcuffed, with no consideration for their basic comfort.

One member of the flight crew showed some compassion, offering them fruit, but the mental and physical toll of the ordeal was overwhelming, according to Harwinder.

Harwinder's deportation follows a long, challenging journey in pursuit of a better life for his family. In June 2024, Harwinder and his wife, Kuljinder Kaur, decided to take a risk in the hopes of a better future. They mortgaged their only acre of land and borrowed Rs 42 lakh to send Harwinder to the US, through an agent who promised legal entry in 15 days. Instead, Harwinder was subjected to life-threatening conditions, moved from one country to another, and ultimately failed to reach the US.

Kuljinder, who had not heard from her husband since January 15, was devastated by the news of his deportation. She learned of it only when villagers informed her that he was among the deportees returning to India. Kuljinder had already filed a complaint against the travel agent after losing contact with Harwinder.

Now, Kuljinder is calling for strict action against the agent, demanding a refund of the Rs 42 lakh they spent on the failed journey. "We have lost everything," she said, her voice filled with heartbreak. "We only wanted a better future for our children, but now we are left with nothing but debt and despair."

The story of Harwinder and his family is a painful reminder of the extreme lengths some people go to in search of a better life, only to face betrayal, exploitation, and unimaginable hardship along the way.