Sold land, crossed jungles, jailed abroad: 50 Haryana youths handcuffed, deported from US; agent vanishes with crores | Chandigarh News
JIND: At least 50 youths in the age group of 25 to 30 years have been deported from the US to Haryana in handcuffs after having travelled to the country via the ‘dunki’ route.Naresh Kumar, one of the 14 Kaithal youths deported from the US, told mediapersons: “I sold my agricultural land and paid Rs 57 lakh to an agent to go to the US via the Panama jungle route. After spending 14 months in jail, I was deported.”Naresh claimed that the agent kept extorting money from him at every border crossing. “He took Rs 42 lakh initially, then Rs 6 lakh in Guatemala, another Rs 6 lakh when I reached Mexico, and the rest of the amount when we crossed the border. But instead of helping me reach the US safely, they got me arrested and I was put in jail,” he said.Naresh sought action against the agent and appealed to others not to take the ‘dunki’ route. Upasana, superintendent of police, Kaithal, told TOI that all the deportees had been handed over to their families. All records are being checked thoroughly and one person was found to have a criminal background, said the SP.Jind SP Kuldeep Singh said three local men had been sent back from the US after travelling there illegally. DSP Sandeep Kumar handed them to their families, he said.“Travelling abroad through the ‘dunki’ route is a serious criminal offence and also tarnishes the image of our society. Such illegal journeys not only lead to financial loss but also pose a grave threat to life. In many cases, youth face physical abuse, fraud, and even death along the way,” warned the SP.Appealing to Jind residents, the SP said anyone who wished to go abroad should always do so through legal and proper channels. He said the police were keeping a close watch on such activities, and strict legal action would be taken against anyone trying to mislead the youth.
