Dreaming of a better life abroad, an Indian national, Harvinder Singh entrusted an agent with a hefty sum of Rs 12 lakh to secure him a smooth settlement in Western Europe. The agent boasted a "fool-proof" plan. However, Singh's reality was far from it. He found himself on a treacherous "donkey route," enduring harsh weather in Serbia, according to a report by Times Of India.
Forced to evade checkpoints by foot for miles, his journey ended not in a promised land, but in a German refugee camp. Singh, along with hundreds of other Asian men, was tricked by agents into believing they would be granted asylum in Europe. However, after five months in detention, he was deported to Delhi on March 20 this year.
Notably, migrants, those who want to enter illegally, are often lured onto a dangerous route known as the "Balkan route" which involves illegally entering European countries through Serbia. It is worth mentioning Serbia implemented visa restrictions for Indian citizens on 1, January 2023. This change, which eliminated the previous visa-free entry for stays up to 30 days, was reportedly made to comply with EU visa regulations and curb illegal immigration.
A coordinated effort by the authorities in Europe involving 200 officers led to the arrest of two suspects in Germany and nine in Romania, along with the seizure of luxury cars, cash, and other valuables.
The arrest of several migrants in Germany sparked an investigation into a smuggling ring operating along the Balkan route. These migrants smuggled from Turkey via Serbia and Romania, endured a dangerous journey using various modes of transport. As per the report, between Romania and Germany, smugglers crammed them into trucks for days, hiding them amongst cargo in inhumane conditions. To avoid border checks, the migrants were also forced to walk long distances on foot.
The report claimed that the agent who was involved in the illegal smuggling was identified as Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Punjab. DCP (airport) Usha Rangnani told the English daily that Kumar was arrested. During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime and revealed that he arranged a tourist visa for Singh and directed him to destroy his passport and other documents after landing in Germany. As per the plan, Singh would reach out to the officials by giving fake credentials in order to get refugee status.
"He was sent back on an emergency certificate but the details in it like the parents' names and addresses were found different. This corroborated that Singh had given fake details to the German authorities. An investigation is underway to ascertain how many others were sent on this "donkey route", DCP told TOI.
