25 Hours of Shackles: The Haunting Return Journey of Haryana's Deportees

There are journeys, and then there are journeys. For a group of individuals from Haryana, their flight home from the United States wasn't just a trip across continents; it was, in truth, an ordeal etched deep into memory, a grim testament to the harsh realities some face when sent back. They spoke of more than just a long flight; they recounted 25 harrowing hours, perhaps even more, spent in a state of utter physical restraint.

Picture this, if you can: your wrists bound, your ankles shackled, for the duration of a journey that spans half the globe. It wasn't merely for takeoff or landing, mind you. These were not temporary measures. We’re talking about an entire day and a night, with hands cuffed and legs chained, the iron biting into skin, a constant, heavy reminder of their status. And here’s the kicker, the detail that truly scrapes at your sense of basic human dignity: even a trip to the restroom offered no reprieve. The cuffs, the chains, they stayed on.

It's hard to fathom, isn't it? To be so utterly dehumanized, even when attending to the most fundamental of human needs. Escorted by security personnel, certainly, and one understands the protocols involved in deportation. But where do the lines get drawn? When does security bleed into something less acceptable, something that diminishes the very essence of a person?

The deportees, upon finally touching Indian soil, were not merely tired. They were, you could say, a profound mixture of relief and raw trauma. Relief to be back, yes, but carrying the heavy burden of those 25-plus hours. They shared stories, quietly at first, then with a growing urgency, detailing the discomfort, the indignity, the sheer exhaustion of being held so tightly, so relentlessly. It wasn't just physical pain, though that was certainly present; it was the psychological toll, the feeling of being treated like a dangerous criminal rather than a human being simply being returned to their home country.

This isn't just a report; it’s a cry for reflection. For once, we must ask ourselves, isn't there a more humane way to manage these complex processes? Can’t we uphold security without completely stripping individuals of their basic respect and comfort, even if they are being deported? Their stories, honestly, are a stark reminder that behind every policy and procedure, there are real people, with real experiences, whose dignity deserves protection, no matter the circumstances of their journey home.