Bleak future awaits two Kaithal youth deported from Mexico

Kaithal: Lack of opportunities to earn money back home coupled with growing unemployment made two youth of Mundri village in Kaithal district decide to go to the US to support their families. However, their hopes were dashed to the ground as they were among the 311 Indian youth deported by Mexico while they were trying to enter the US illegally.

Rajesh Kumar (30) and Sonu, aged about 28, face a bleak future as their families had arranged Rs 15 lakh each for them that was paid to a travel agent in Delhi to help them reach their destination.

Rajesh’s mother Kanta Devi (75) is cursing her decision to send her son to the US as the family is now worried about losing Rs 15 lakh that was arranged after selling her valuables, a piece of land and taking loan from a moneylender. She said, “We have no means to return the loan amount due to poor financial condition. We are not even sure if the travel agent will return the money. My son was adamant about going to America to earn dollars. We didn’t know if he followed the right process to reach the US.”

She said Rajesh wanted to improve the financial condition of the family, but the situation had gone from bad to worse. “En route his illegal journey to the US, he was made to walk for miles together in a forest in Panama. His legs are swollen due to the arduous journey. I am worried about my son as he has lost all hopes of a better future,” Kanta said.

Sonu, a strapping lad who has studied till Class XII, had made many attempts to join the either the police or defence forces, but couldn’t succeed. “As I crossed the age limit to be eligible for joining the police or defence forces, I thought of taking up any small job in my area. I used to earn barely Rs 5,000-6,000 a month, which was not enough to feed my family. One day I my friend told me to go to the US following an illegal route to earn dollars. After that my elder brother arranged Rs 15 lakh and a Delhi-based travel agent promised to help me reach America within 30 days. We never reached there and lost our money.”

Speaking about his illegal journey, Sonu said he along with others boarded a flight from Delhi to Ecuador from where they were taken to Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and finally Mexico. “Our passports were seized by the local travel agents in South America. They also made us travel by sea, which was horrible. The agents stuffed at least 65 persons in a boat, which was covered by a tarpaulin sheet to hide us. We were not able to breathe or sleep. I saw men dying while walking in forests due to failing health. One person died after slipping down a gorge,” he said.

With his dreams shattered, Sonu said he was home tending cattle. “I am worried about my future. There is no way I can repay the loan amount.”