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Indian passengers on donkey plane detained in France return to India
21 passengers hailing from northern Gujarat districts who were aboard the detained plane in France have returned to India, and they along with their relatives will be interrogated by Gujarat’s CID
Representative image / Image - Unsplash
Indian passengers aboard the chartered Fujairah, UAE to Nicaragua flight that was detained on charges of illegal immigration at the Varty airport in France, have reportedly returned to India on December 27.
What is a Donkey plane?
The term donkey route originates from a Punjabi word “dunki” which refers to the act of illegally crossing a nation’s borders via a back-door route that involves several layovers in foreign countries.
A few months ago, all of the passengers on the chartered aircraft arrived in Dubai in possession with work or tourist visas. They boarded onto the flight to Nicaragua from the UAE. However, French authorities grounded the aircraft and suspected that the passengers were likely proceeding illegally to the United States via Mexico.
How many Indians were deported?
According to media reports, a total of 276 Indians, mostly from the states of Gujarat and Punjab were sent back to India. The states’ crime investigation agencies have began interrogations about concerns that they were part of an illegal immigration and human trafficking racket.
At least 21 passengers on the flight were from the state of Gujarat, hailing from five different districts. The state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) will also interrogate relatives of these passengers to ascertain if the concerns were concrete.
The passengers aboard the flight were seeking entry into the U.S., illegally, from Nicaragua, according to an Indian Express report. Sanjay Kharat, Superintendent of Gujarat Police, CID, told the newspaper that they suspect this to be a case of illegal immigration to the U.S. or Canada.
“There are certain clues with the CID and we are awaiting to back it with evidence. The agents involved in the scam will be booked,” Kharat said. Around 10 agents from Gujarat and a head honcho believed to be in Delhi, are suspected of facilitating illegal U.S. immigration.
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