US releases footage of Indian immigrants in shackles boarding deportation flight

WASHINGTON: A video of Indians deported from the US being chained has surfaced. The footage of the Indians chained in their hands and feet just before boarding the flight was released by the White House through its official X account. The video surfaced at a time when opposition leaders in the country have been protesting, alleging that the deportees were subjected to cruel treatment.

The 40-second video has been released. The video includes close-up shots of handcuffs being laid out, officers securing restraints and detainees walking up steel steps to the aircraft. An officer is checking a person about to board the plane and then the Indian comes in front of another officer. The officer is seen tying his hands, feet and body with chains. The video also shows a large number of chains lined up. The people chained can be seen climbing the stairs and entering the plane. Their faces are not visible in the video.

Earlier this month, 332 Indian nationals who had illegally immigrated to the US were deported. Three US military planes carrying the immigrants landed in Amritsar. The returnees said that they were chained during the journey and were not even allowed to use the toilet.

Michael W Banks, the head of the US Border Patrol (UBSP), had earlier shared a video. It was footage of the immigrants being sent to India. Following this, opposition parties had criticized the inhumane treatment meted out to the Indians.

However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that imposing restrictions on deportees is part of the US Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and that they were brought to India in chains in previous years as well. Only men were shown this. Jaishankar had clarified that they did not misbehave with women or children.