Panchkula: Two agents held for sending people to US via ‘donkey route’

The Anti-Immigration Fraud Unit of the police arrested two persons for duping families by promising to send their kin to the United States through the notorious “donkey route”.

Complainant Shyamlal alleged that agents Kuldeep Singh and his associates demanded Rs 45 lakh to arrange a foreign travel for his son Mandeep. The family raised the sum by selling jewellery and borrowing from relatives. However, instead of facilitating a legal travel, the agents pushed Mandeep through a perilous journey spanning Vietnam, El Salvador, Thailand, Laos, Dubai, China, Suriname and Mexico, where he was assaulted and held hostage for more money.

A case was registered and Kuldeep Singh of Toda village in Panchkula was arrested on August 16. During his six-day police remand, his associate Lakhwinder Singh of Ludhiana was nabbed from Machhiwara. Cops recovered Rs 1 lakh during their questioning.