Punjab Cracks Down On Illegal Travel Agents, Cancels 40 Licenses

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – Punjab authorities have cancelled the licenses of 40 travel agents in a crackdown on illegal immigration networks, officials told the media.

Raids are ongoing, and officials are registering cases against those involved in unauthorized migration, they said.

Government data shows that Punjabis along with Gujaratis make up the largest share of Indians deported from the U.S. This month alone, three flights on February 5, 15, and 16 returned 333 deportees, 126 of whom—nearly 38%—were from Punjab. Since May 2020, Amritsar has received 21 such flights.

Punjab has seen a rise in illegal migration through fraudulent visa schemes, often referred to as the “Dunki route.” Over the past three years, more than 3,200 cases have been filed against travel agents, leading to several arrests, including Punjabi singer Fatehjit Singh in September last year.

The U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia remain top destinations for illegal migration