Despite deaths, deportations, migration craze lives on

The tragic death of 20-year-old Sahil from Nandgaon village in Bhiwani district has once again brought to fore the persistent and perilous dream of foreign migration among Haryana's youth. Just a month after reaching Canada on a study visa, Sahil reportedly drowned in a lake, leaving behind a heartbroken family.

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“We invested everything in his dream of going abroad,” said his uncle Mukesh. “The family sold land and his father Harish, a retired Army man, poured in his entire retirement savings to raise Rs 40 lakh. We don’t believe the drowning theory. There could be foul play.”

Despite the trauma of deportations, tragedies and rampant frauds, the desire to migrate abroad remains strong among the youth of Haryana. Recently, 333 Indians deported from the USA included 110 from Haryana alone — yet this has done little to stem the flow.

“After a brief pause, immigration agents are back in business — just more careful now. The USA has been dropped from our list; we’re now focusing on Canada and European countries,” revealed an industry insider.

Even with growing awareness, cases of immigration fraud continue to rise. In Hisar, police arrested an agent who took Rs 26 lakh from two youths by promising them German visas. In Jind, a woman lost Rs 50.75 lakh after being duped by agents who promised to send her two sons abroad. A couple lost Rs 17.45 lakh on false promises of study and migration. In Sirsa, four youths paid Rs 30 lakh for jobs in Germany but were instead sent to Armenia and Dubai.

In many cases, families have sold ancestral land, taken heavy loans or spent lifelong savings — only to be cheated.

Responding to the growing menace, the Haryana Government enacted the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Travel Agents Act, 2025, aimed at cracking down on unregistered and fraudulent travel agents.

“All travel agents in the state must register within three months of the Act’s enforcement and renew it every three years. Police verification is mandatory,” the Act states. Violators face imprisonment of two to seven years and heavy fines.

A police spokesperson said, “People must approach only government-approved agencies for visa services and avoid falling into the trap of fraudsters.”

Between 2021 and 2023, illegal immigration routes — popularly known as the donkey route — saw a surge among youth from Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Fatehabad, Hisar and Ambala. Many used risky paths through Central America and Eastern Europe to enter countries like the USA, Canada and Australia illegally.

In 2023, Haryana Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to combat immigration fraud. The SIT registered 1,500 FIRs and arrested 1,222 fake agents over two years.

Amid rising concerns, foreign consulates of European nations have issued public advisories warning Indian citizens against unauthorised agents and fake counsellors posing as consulate staff. “People must know that all visa appointments are free and processed through officially designated platforms,” the advisory stated.

Despite laws, enforcement and repeated heartbreaks, Haryana's youth continue to be lured by the dream of life abroad — often at irreparable personal cost.