A flight carrying 12 Indian nationals, who were deported from the US to Panama, landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday. This group is the first to be repatriated from Panama, following the US deportation of approximately 299 illegal immigrants.

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Due to challenges in deporting individuals directly to their countries of origin, the US is utilising Panama as a transit point. This means that migrants are being flown to Panama before being sent on to their final destinations.

The latest batch of deportees came aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul. The group included four individuals from Punjab, three from Haryana, three from Uttar Pradesh, and one person whose identity has yet to be confirmed, according to Indian media reports.

The four deportees, hailing from different districts of Punjab, were flown to Amritsar.

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Also read: Indians among 300 US deportees held in Panama hotel, some migrants seen pleading for help from window

Deportee recounts horror upon landing in Amritsar: ‘Our legs were chained’

Last week, a US military aircraft, with 119 Indian immigrants aboard, landed in Amritsar on February 15.

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One of the deportees claimed that they were handcuffed and their legs were chained during the flight.

"Our legs were chained and hands were also cuffed," Daljit Singh told reporters in Hoshiarpur, according to news agency PTI.

A C-17 aircraft landed at Amritsar International Airport around 11:40 pm on Saturday, carrying 119 Indian deportees from the US. This deportation is part of the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigrants, which began earlier this month. The first batch of 104 Indians was deported on February 5, and a third batch of 157 deportees is expected to arrive in India on Sunday (Feb 17).

Also read: White House releases video of shackled deportees; Elon Musk's reaction sparks condemnation

'India ready to take back citizens living illegally in US': PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to the United States, met President Donald Trump, where he stated that the ones living illegally in any other country, "do not have any legal right to be there."

He further said his country was ready to take back its citizens living in America illegally.

While condemning illegal immigration, Modi said it is a symptom of a bigger disease.

He said, "As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the citizens of India—if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back."

(With inputs from agencies)