388 Indians deported from US since January 2025: Govt in LS
New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI): Around 388 Indian nationals have been deported from the US since January 2025, the government informed Parliament on Friday.
Of these, 333 Indians were deported directly from the US to India on three separate flights in February. Separately, the US, through Panama, "deported 55 Indian nationals, who arrived on commercial flights", Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said in a written response in the Lok Sabha.
The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether the Union government has received the details of the persons to be deported from the US this year, and if the government has requested the US officials to provide adequate facilities for them.
The ministry was also asked whether the Prime Minister had raised concerns with the US President and top US officials for the "ill treatment" meted out to the deportees.
In his reply, Kirti Vardhan Singh said, "Of the 388 Indian nationals deported since January, 333 individuals, after verification, were deported directly from the US to India on three separate chartered flights, which landed on 5th, 15th and 16th February 2025 respectively. Separately, the US, through Panama, deported 55 Indian nationals who arrived in India on commercial flights."
"The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities have recently shared with us information pertaining to an additional 295 individuals, who are detained in their custody with final orders of removal from the US. The Ministry of External Affairs, along with other concerned agencies, is currently verifying the details of these individuals," he said.
The MEA was also asked if the government has any plan to "send our own aircraft" to bring back Indians designated as illegal immigrants by the US and are to be deported in the coming days.
The need to promote safe, orderly and legal migration while cracking down on illegal immigration networks was discussed during the recent visit of the Prime Minister to the US on February 12-13, the Minister of State said.
"India's consistent stance against illegal immigration, while seeking humane treatment of deportees, was reiterated. Both sides acknowledged the need to cooperate closely to aggressively address illegal immigration and human trafficking, by taking strong action against bad actors, criminal facilitators and illegal immigration networks," he said.
The US is deporting only those Indian nationals who have been "apprehended for violating the US immigration laws," Singh said.
"Illegal mobility and migration has many other associated activities, also of an illegal nature. Moreover, those of our nationals who have been enticed into illegal migration have themselves become prey to other crimes. Those who have recently returned have testified to their harrowing experiences," he added.
The Government of India is focused on identifying and taking strong action against the illegal immigration agents, the migration rackets and the entire criminal ecosystem, on which such illegal immigration thrives, the Minister of State said.
A batch of 104 Indian immigrants were deported by the US in a C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force that landed at the Amritsar airport on February 5. This was the first such batch of Indians deported by the Donald Trump administration as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
The treatment meted out to these deportees had kicked up a nationwide outrage.
"The US Standard Operating Procedure to organise and execute deportations effective from November 2012 calls for the use of restraints on deportees," Singh said.
The ministry has "strongly registered its concerns" with the US authorities on the treatment meted out to deportees on the flight that landed on February 5, particularly with respect to use of shackles, especially on women, he said.
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
