Navdeep Singh has faced deportation from the US for the second time in eight months
BATHINDA: For Navdeep Singh, being sent back from the US, this is the second deportation in eight months. His family spent Rs 55 lakh to try their luck twice, but he failed both times.
Now, his shell-shocked father Kashmir Singh and others in the family are waiting for him at home in Taranwala village of Mamdot block in Punjab’s Ferozepur district.
Navdeep, who fell ill and did not take the second deportation flight that landed Saturday night in Amritsar, is now expected in the third US plane arriving Sunday night. His ordeal will be known after his return, but the family is already struggling with its staggering loss.
Kashmir Singh, who runs a small sweets shop, said his younger son Navdeep graduated from Guru Nanak College at Ferozepur and used to occasionally work with him in his outlet. However, Navdeep found preparing sweets “embarrassing”.
Navdeep’s parents wanted him to get a job, but he decided to immigrate to the US. The family spent Rs 40 lakh by selling an acre of land, raising loans from moneylender and relatives for his journey to the US last year. However, he was arrested at Panama City within days of reaching and was immediately deported to India in June last year.
Navdeep spent nearly two months at home and contacted the same travel agent who had arranged for his first trip. This time, the agent demanded Rs 15 lakh more.
The family paid the agent and Navdeep succeeded in reaching the US two months ago. However, he was caught within weeks and put in a detention centre on Jan 27, after which his family lost contact with him. It was only two days ago that his family received word from US authorities that Navdeep was being deported to India.
Taranwala village sarpanch Amar Chand consoled Navdeep’s shattered family, trying to offer solace over their son’s illegal US trips that left them poorer by over Rs 55 lakh.
