Deported Sikh immigrant recounts 'torture, mistreatment in US': 'Forced to remove turban' (WATCH)

Jatinder Singh, one of the 112 illegal Indian immigrants deported from the US to Amritsar, has claimed he was mistreated during his two-week stay at a detention camp, according to a report in India Today. He alleged that US authorities forced him to remove his turban, which was then thrown into a dustbin. He also claimed he was given inadequate food, receiving only Lay's chips and Frooti juice twice a day, and was subjected to harsh conditions such as extreme temperature variations, according to the report.

Also read: US plane with deported Indians lands in Amritsar after crackdown on illegal immigrants. WATCH

Journey through Panama jungles and agent betrayal

Singh, 23, left India on September 12 last year, paying an agent Rs 50 lakh in hopes of settling in the US for better job opportunities. He recounted a dangerous journey through Panama's dense jungles, where he witnessed dead bodies of other migrants. The agent, who had assured him of a safe passage, abandoned him midway, leaving him to navigate the perilous route alone. Upon crossing into the US on November 27, Singh was apprehended by border authorities and sent to detention.

Shackled on a military deportation flight

Singh also claimed that during the 36-hour flight back to India, he was restrained in handcuffs and shackles, unlike women and children who were not restrained. He described difficulties in accessing food and washrooms and said the shackles were removed only 10 minutes before landing. The alleged inhumane treatment of deported Sikh immigrants, particularly the removal of turbans, has drawn strong condemnation from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Also read: Second batch of illegal migrants from US land in Amritsar; deportee claims they were handcuffed, chained

Rising concerns over mass deportations

This latest deportation flight follows a similar incident on February 5, when 104 Indians were sent back under similar conditions. The US has now deported a total of 332 illegal Indian immigrants in three flights. Many deportees hail from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat, with families left devastated after selling their assets to fund their migration. The issue has sparked growing concern over the treatment of Indian immigrants and the rising number of deportations.

Deportees liken treatment to prisoners and slaves

Singh is not alone in alleging mistreatment by US authorities during deportation via military aircraft. Harwinder Singh, a deportee from the first flight, also described inhumane treatment, as reported by The New York Times. He claimed that deportees were transported like prisoners, comparing the experience to being kidnapped and silenced. According to him, all deportees were kept in handcuffs throughout the journey, even while eating, and were not allowed to move from their seats, making them feel like slaves.

A US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday, marking the first group of Indians deported by the Donald Trump administration in its crackdown on illegal immigration.

Second batch of illegal migrants, comprising 65 individuals from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, two each from Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Most of the deportees were between 18 and 30 years old.

The third batch of illegal Indian immigrants, 112 people, deported from the United States arrived in Amritsar, Punjab, on Sunday and were sent to their respective states.

Also read: Haryana man recounts US deportation horror: 'Paid Rs 35 lakh, starved in Panama jungle & faced 220-day ordeal'