How Haryana Man Pays ₹35 Lakh to Agents, Crosses 11 Countries to Reach US, Gets Deported

Surat: A Haryana man paid ₹35 lakh to agents and undertook a perilous six-month journey through 11 countries to illegally enter the United States, only to be nabbed and deported back to India. The man, Pankaj Rawat, a native of Panipat, has now filed a complaint against two agents for human trafficking and fraud, Gujarat police confirmed on Tuesday.

Journey Through 11 Countries Ends in US Detention

Rawat’s journey, known as the ‘dunki’ route, began in August 2024 and ended in February 2025 when he illegally crossed the Tecate border into the US. However, American authorities arrested him immediately and detained him for 15 days before deporting him to India on February 16.

According to the FIR registered in Panipat, two agents, Abdulla and Pradeep, had promised him a job and accommodation in the US. Instead, they orchestrated a dangerous multi-country route, keeping him hostage in jungles and cities, seizing his passport and SIM card, and threatening to kill him.

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Forced to Stay in Hostile Conditions

Rawat was smuggled through Guyana, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico before reaching the US. The FIR revealed that in Ecuador, he was held hostage for 25 days, and in Colombia, he was forced to stay for four months.

"Enraged at the delays, the complainant demanded his money back, but the agent's aide threatened to kill him and refused to return a single penny," the FIR stated.

His journey through dangerous forests, buses, and hidden shelters eventually led him to Mexico, where he waited for 15 days before crossing into the US on February 1, 2025. However, the moment he entered, the US police arrested him.

Police Investigation Underway

After his deportation to Amritsar, Rawat approached Surat police, where he had first contacted the traffickers. Surat crime branch inspector T. B. Pandya stated, "The FIR was registered in Panipat and transferred to Surat for investigation. The accused took ₹35 lakh from the complainant under false promises."

The case highlights the rising dangers of illegal immigration and the exploitation of desperate individuals by human traffickers promising a better life abroad.