Dreams and Realities: The Journey of Deported Indians
AGRA: Sometimes dreams manifest into reality, while other times they lead to unexpected consequences. Devendra Singh, Rakshit Balyan, and Gurpreet Singh experienced this firsthand when they found themselves on a deportation flight, 13,000 km from home, after their aspirations of a better life were crushed.
Devendra, a 38-year-old farmer from Muzaffarnagar, yearned for more than what his family’s sugarcane fields could provide. Instead of finding fortune, he boarded a flight back to India, packed with 103 others who had also faced the harsh reality of “denied entry.” With his savings depleted and an uncertain future ahead, Devendra’s dreams turned into a nightmare.
On the flight home, he met Rakshit, 24, and Gurpreet from Pilibhit. These three men, hailing from different backgrounds, were bound by a single mistake: believing in a path to the West that was fraught with peril. Devendra had left India in November, while Rakshit had taken a tourist visa a month earlier, hoping to vanish into a new life. Their journeys were guided by whispers and facilitated by traffickers, leading them to a daunting fate.
Devendra’s harrowing journey spanned several countries, from Thailand to El Salvador, relying on a network of smugglers. Despite their hopes, they were met by US Border Patrol instead of the freedom they envisioned. “They didn’t give me a chance to file for asylum or go through the legal process,” he recounted.
The return flight to India was a grim reminder of their ordeal. “We were handcuffed and had shackles on our legs,” Devendra shared, describing the 30-hour journey back home. They were treated as mere cases, not individuals with dreams.
As they landed in Amritsar, the reality of their situation sank in. Back in India, Devendra, Rakshit, and Gurpreet are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered aspirations. For those contemplating similar paths, it’s essential to recognize the risks involved and the potential consequences of chasing dreams that may lead to dire situations.
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