Australia Deports Indians: 9 From Punjab Arrive in Delhi, Govt Flags Travel Agent Fraud

Mumbai: At least nine individuals from Punjab, deported from Australia, arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday, officials confirmed.

A team of Punjab Police along with administrative authorities was present at the airport to receive the deportees and facilitate their return to the state. The individuals were later provided with food and basic assistance before being handed over to the police for further transit.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier stated that around 15 Indians were being deported from Australia, with the majority belonging to Punjab and others from Telangana and Uttarakhand. He also revealed that many among them were facing criminal cases in Australia.

“But they are our own children, and we will receive them at the airport while ensuring support for their rehabilitation and future livelihood,” Mann said during a press conference in Chandigarh.

According to S Karuna Raju, principal resident commissioner at Punjab Bhawan in Delhi, authorities had initially expected 11 deportees from Punjab. However, only nine arrived, with two reportedly held back due to incomplete documentation.

“We have been handed over nine deportees who are natives of Punjab. We provided them food and further handed them over to Punjab Police. They have left for Punjab from Delhi,” Raju told The Indian Express.

The deportees belong to multiple districts across the state, including Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Khanna, Moga, Nawanshahr, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Ropar. One of the individuals in the initial list was a woman.

Officials said the deportees are being taken to Patiala first, from where they will proceed to their respective hometowns.

Highlighting a larger concern, Mann pointed to the role of fraudulent travel agents in such cases. “Many innocent people fall into the trap of dubious travel agents who promise them the moon and send them abroad. These people leave with high hopes but are eventually deported,” he said.

The Punjab government has reiterated its commitment to providing employment opportunities and support systems to discourage illegal migration and prevent individuals from falling prey to such scams.

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