Haryana residents deported from US claim they were victims of human trafficking, FIRs registered

FIRs were registered after most of the 76 Haryana residents deported from the US recently claimed that they were victims of human trafficking, Home Minister Anil Vij said on Friday.

Vij said 70 FIRs have been registered so far as most of those sent back to the state claimed they were victims of "Kabootarbazi" (human trafficking).

"We have recorded statements of the victims. Police acted swiftly and registered cases on their complaints. Investigations are under progress as we need to find out who are involved in this Kabootarbazi racket," he told reporters.

The 76 people from Haryana were part of a group of over 160 Indians who arrived at Amritsar in Punjab by a special chartered flight last week after being deported from the US.

Most of the deported Indian nationals had entered the US from its southern border with Mexico and had exhausted all legal options.

They were arrested by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE while trying to enter the US illegally.

Among those who were deported, the highest 76 are from Haryana.