Deportees braved odds, incurred huge debt to finance passage

Yashpal Singh (26), a resident of Patti town, returned home as he was deported by the USA in the second flight from that country as part of US President Donald Trump's policy. Yashpal is one of the three persons from Tarn Taran district, who arrived at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, late at night. The other two are Gursewak Singh of Bhail Dhai Wala village and Sukhchain Singh of Thatha (Ghariala) village. All the three were so depressed that none of them was willing to talk to mediapersons on Sunday.

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Yashpal Singh had to remain in custody of 'donkers' for about 18 months at different places and faced torture from their musclemen daily. He would heave a sigh of relief when his parents paid for his food and other charges to donkers by depositing the money in their accounts, said sources.

Gurmeet Singh, father of Yashpal Singh, said the family paid Rs 44 lakh to a Chandigarh-based travel agent in the initial stage, besides other charges which they were forced to pay on the pretext of making payment to donkers to help Yashpal cross over to the USA from Mexico over a period of 18 months. Gurmeet Singh said the family had lost all its precious articles and was buried under debt. He said the agent assured them of taking the payment after Yashpal had crossed over into the USA. He was taken into custody by the US police as soon as he crossed over the border on January 26.

Sarabjit Kaur, wife of Sukhchain Singh, a resident of Thatha (Ghriala), said her husband had gone to the UK (England) two and a half years ago, by paying an amount of Rs 22 lakh and gave Rs 20 lakh more to cross the USA border to the travel agent who lured him to settle in the USA. He had to sell his landed property to give the money to agents. Sukhchain Singh is under heavy depression.

Similar is the tale of Gursewak Singh of Bhail Dhai Wala, who refused to talk to mediapersons regarding his trouble. The three deportees were taken to their families by the Amritsar police today in the early hours.