Deported from US, 33 Gujarati immigrants dropped home in govt vehicles

ALL 33 people from Gujarat, who were among 104 Indians deported from the US for illegal immigration, were transported to their home towns on Thursday (6) in state vehicles under the supervision of police, the state government said.

Chief minister Bhupendra Patel and minister of State for home Harsh Sanghavi gave necessary instructions to senior officers about proper coordination with other agencies and for providing security to these deportees, an official release said.

A plane carrying 33 Gujarati immigrants, including children and women, landed at the Ahmedabad airport from Amritsar on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar in Punjab.

As directed by Gujarat director general of police Vikas Sahay, a deputy superintendent of police (DySP) rank officer of the state police was deployed at the Amritsar airport to ensure security and proper coordination of 33 natives of Gujarat, the release said.

"After completing all necessary procedures of verification and immigration clearance at the Amritsar airport, these 33 people landed at Ahmedabad airport at 6.10 am on Thursday," it added.

At the Ahmedabad airport, a nodal officer was deployed by the police to oversee the transportation of these deportees.

Soon after their arrival, the 33 immigrants were safely transported to their native places in government vehicles under police supervision.

Family reactions

Jayantibhai Patel, a resident of Gujarat's Vadodara district, could not hold back his emotions after seeing his daughter, who was deported from the US, reaching home safe.

Khushbu Patel (29), a native of Luna village in Padra taluka of Vadodara district, was among those deported from the US for illegal immigration.

Khushbu, like other deportees, did not speak to the media.

"She was handcuffed during the journey (from the US) to Amritsar. She had gone to the US on tourist visa," her brother Varun told reporters.

"She was deported for not having some documents. We don't know what route she had taken to reach the US. She is not in a position to speak now because of the 36-hour journey," he said.

Her father Jayantibhai Patel cried after seeing his daughter back home. But he, too, claimed ignorance about how she landed in the US.

"I was under enormous stress. Now I am extremely happy that she has come back safely. Our Government has helped us in every way. I have no idea how she reached the US and what exactly happened to her there," he said.

All other deportees and their family members refused to talk to the media.

A family of four from Manund village in Patan district was among the deportees. They were taken to their village by Patan district police.

But their house in the village remained locked.

"They were brought here by the local police in the morning, but they went somewhere else instead of going to their house. The owner of the house has also gone elsewhere. Maybe they are nervous and do not want to face the media at this point," said Dixit Patel, a neighbour. (PTI)