NIA arrests key accused involved in human trafficking to US via 'dunki' route
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused allegedly involved in sending a man illegally to the US via the infamous 'dunki' route.
The term 'dunki', believed to have originated from the word "donkey", refers to an illegal pathway that immigrants take to enter countries like the United States without proper documentation. Their risky and arduous travel is usually facilitated by a human-trafficking syndicate.
Accused Gagandeep Singh alias Goldie, a resident of west Delhi's Tilak Nagar, has been arrested by the NIA, an official statement said on Sunday.
Goldie was allegedly paid around Rs 45 lakh by a victim from Punjab's Tarn Taran district for illegal immigration, it said.
The victim was sent to the US via the 'dunki' route in December 2024, the statement issued by the NIA said.
He was deported to India by US authorities on February 15 and had thereafter filed a complaint against the accused "agent".
The case was originally registered by the Punjab Police and later, taken over by the NIA on March 13.
NIA investigations revealed that Goldie, who did not possess a licence or legal permit or registration for sending people abroad, had used the 'dunki' route and sent the victim to the US via Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
"Donkers/associates of Goldie had even beaten up and exploited the victim, besides snatching the dollars he was carrying, during the arduous journey, NIA investigations further revealed," the statement said.
Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had, on March 28, said, "From January 2025 till date, a total of 636 Indian nationals have been deported to India from the US."
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Taj Mahal top earning ASI monument through ticket sales from FY19-20 to FY23-24: Govt
New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI): The iconic Taj Mahal in Agra earned the "highest income" through the sale of tickets among the ASI-protected monuments from FY19-20 to FY23-24, according to data shared by the government.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha.
He was asked the amount that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has received from selling entry tickets to various monuments in the last five years, year-wise and monument-wise; and the monuments that have received the highest income through selling entry tickets in the last five years.
In his response, the minister shared the data in a tabular form for cycles of financial years ranging from FY19-20 to FY23-24.
According to the data, Taj Mahal earned the top slot for all five years.
The Mughal-era architectural wonder was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jehan in the 17th century and it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
In FY19-20, the Agra Fort in Agra and Qutub Minar in Delhi were in the second and third positions.
In FY20-21, the Group of Monuments Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu and Sun Temple, Konark were in the second and third positions. In FY23-24, Qutub Minar and Red Fort of Delhi were in the second and third positions.
