New Jersey: The Indian national pinned to the ground and handcuffed by authorities at the Newark airport recently was not a student but an illegal immigrant to the US from Haryana who was being deported, the Indian embassy has ascertained.
Photographs and videos of the incident, posted on X by NRI Kunal Jain on Sunday, created a sensation on social media, with several users urging India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to intervene.
Jain had believed the youngster to be an Indian student with a valid visa who had failed to convince US immigration authorities of the reason behind his visit to that country. This has now turned out to be incorrect.
After Jain’s post went viral, the Indian government formally raised the issue with the US Embassy in New Delhi and a probe started. The Indian Embassy in Washington has now been informed that the youth had attempted to enter the United States illegally, and was restrained during his transit in Newark. He is currently unfit to travel and will be deported to India once he is medically cleared.
“With regard to a social post about an Indian national detained at Newark Airport in New Jersey in the United States, our Consulate in New York has ascertained that the individual who belongs to Haryana had entered the United States illegally without a valid visa and was being deported back to India as per a court order,” ANI has quoted a source as saying.
The source added: “During his transit in Newark, on finding his behaviour not conducive for travel, he was restrained and admitted to a medical facility. Once he is fit to travel, the individual will be deported to India. Our Consulate in New York continues to remain engaged with the US authorities on this matter,” the source added.
Jain had got emotional after witnessing the incident in which the young man is pinned to the ground and handcuffed. He described the treatment of the Indian national as a “human tragedy” and said that, as an NRI, he felt “helpless” and “heartbroken”.
“I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night,” Jain said, adding that the Indian was crying as he was treated like a criminal. “He came chasing dreams, not causing harm. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy,” he further said.
“These children get their visas and board a flight in the morning. For some reason, they are unable to explain the reason for their visit to immigration authorities and are sent back on the evening flight, tied up like criminals,” he further expressed. “Every day, 3-4 such cases happen.”
