54 young men from Haryana who had illegally entered America via the “donkey route” were deported by the US and sent back to India late Saturday night. These young men were brought to Delhi airport in shackles on a special flight. US security agencies handed them over to Indian immigration officials as per official procedure. Special teams of Haryana Police were already present at the airport. Those against whom there was information regarding criminal and gang-related cases were taken into custody on the spot. The remaining young men were sent to their home districts after completing the necessary paperwork.
Highest Number of Deportees from Karnal
Of the 50 young men deported, the highest number, 16, are from Karnal, and 14 are from Kaithal district. Besides these, there are five from Kurukshetra, three from Jind, and others from other districts.
Lawrence Bishnoi’s Close Associate Lakhwinder Also Deported
The most significant case among them is that of Lakhwinder alias Lakha, a resident of Titram village in Kaithal. Lakha is an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi and Anmol Bishnoi gang and had been operating a network from America since 2022, extorting money from businessmen in Haryana and Punjab. The Ambala unit of the Haryana STF arrested Lakhwinder alias Lakha, a close associate of gangster Lawrence. He has several cases registered against him in Kaithal and other districts, including extortion.
Another most wanted criminal among the deportees is Sunil Sardhania, who is wanted in 24 criminal cases, including murder. Sunil was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case in Bhiwani and 10 years in a robbery case in Panchkula. After getting bail from the court in both cases, he obtained a passport using a fake address. After that, he fled abroad in 2024. The STF immediately took both accused into custody from among the youths deported by America. Both are now in police remand. How Many Young People Returned from Which District?
They Went Abroad After Taking Loans
Most of the deported youth are those who tried to reach America through the “donkey route” (illegal migration route) after selling their family’s land and jewelry and borrowing money at high interest rates. However, upon arrival, they were caught by border security forces and kept in jails and detention camps for months. Most of these young people began this journey in 2024 and 2025.
Identification of Deported Youth and How the Donkey Route Journey Works
The deported youth explained that the journey begins by traveling from Delhi to Brazil. From there, agents, with the help of local gangs, send them further. From Brazil, they go to Colombia, then Panama, and from there, the journey through the Darién Gap, known as the “jungle of death,” begins. They have to walk continuously through the jungles for 6 to 15 days. They have to overcome heavy rain, mud, snakes, scorpions, and swamps. Those who collapse from exhaustion are left behind by the smugglers. Sometimes, they are beaten and forced to keep walking. The smugglers extort money from them at every stage. They charge ₹3-5 lakh in Panama, ₹5-7 lakh in Guatemala, ₹6-10 lakh in Mexico, and ₹2-4 lakh for crossing the US border. In total, it costs approximately ₹50-70 lakh. Even then, there is zero guarantee of success. “I thought my life would change after reaching there, but instead, my life was put in danger.”
A 26-year-old man from a village in Kaithal recounted, “There were 18 of us in the Panamanian jungle. Two people sank into the swamp; no one stopped to save them. We all cried and kept moving forward. The smugglers kept saying, ‘If you want to live, keep going; if you look back, you’ll die too.’ Upon reaching Guatemala, they took 600,000 rupees from me, another 600,000 rupees at the Mexican border, and 300,000 rupees more for getting me to the US border. As soon as I crossed the US border, the American Border Patrol arrested me.” He was then held in a detention camp for 28 to 70 days, where 50-100 people were crammed into a single barrack. They were given only bread and soup to eat. Furthermore, they faced language barriers and received no legal assistance.
654 People Deported So Far
Previously, a total of 654 people from Haryana who were illegally residing in the US have been deported. From January to July 2025, 604 citizens of Haryana were handcuffed and deported to India on military aircraft. Now, with the recent deportation of 50 more people, this number has increased to 654.
Haryana Government and Security Agencies Concerned
In the last three years, more than 3000 young people from Haryana have been caught attempting to go abroad through the “donkey route” (illegal migration route). Many of them have been pushed back from jungles and border areas, while more than 200 young people are reported missing or victims of fraud. Additionally, more than 100 young people are still imprisoned in foreign jails, where they are living in difficult conditions due to a lack of legal assistance. This situation is not limited to just economic losses; it has become a serious social and humanitarian crisis. Families are drowning in debt, the mental health of young people is being affected, and a climate of insecurity and uncertainty is increasing in the villages. The government and security agencies are now taking strict action against human trafficking, agent networks, and illegal travel syndicates. They are formulating a strategy.
Major cases registered against Lakha of Kaithal:
Gohana: Demanded a ransom of ₹1 crore from a businessman (February 14, 2023)
Rohtak (Meham): Demanded ₹1 crore from a jeweler (March 21, 2023)
Yamunanagar: Threatened a businessman (March 22, 2023)
Kaithal: Extorted ₹50 lakh from a mining businessman (March 29)
