Chandigarh : Promised a legal entry into the US, Mandeep Singh’s life was at risk after he was made to deal with crocodiles and snakes, trim his beard despite being a Sikh, and having to go without food for days. But his dream to secure a better life for his family in Amritsar came crashing down on January 27 when he was arrested by the US Border Patrol while trying to sneak into America via Tijuana in Mexico.

Mandeep was part of 116 Indians to be deported by a US military aircraft that landed at the Amritsar airport late on Saturday, the second such batch of Indians to be sent back after February 5 amid a crackdown by the Donald Trump administration against illegal immigrants. Mandeep (38) showed several videos of the perilous journey his travel agent and sub-agents put him through.

Instead of a legal entry as promised, Mandeep’s travel agent put him on the ‘donkey route’ -- an illegal and risky pathway used by migrants to enter the US.

Many more deportees from Punjab shared ordeals similar to Mandeep’s.

“It was too dangerous to traverse through the Panama jungles. We somehow managed to save ourselves from snakes, crocodiles and other animals,” recalled Lovepreet Singh, a deportee who returned on Saturday, sharing the perils of donkey route.

They were even beaten up by ‘donkers’ taking them to the US border through the donkey route, Lovepreet said.

The family of Jasnoor Singh from Amritsar district said they spent Rs 55 lakh to send him to the US. “We sold our properties, commercial vehicles and one plot of land to raise the money,” a family member said.

Jasnoor was on the US military aircraft that brought back 112 Indians living illegally in that country on Sunday. Sharing his ordeal, Mandeep said, “When I spoke to my agent, he said within one month I will be taken to the US in a legal way”.

The agent demanded Rs 40 lakh, which he paid in two instalments. The journey began on a flight from Amritsar to Delhi last August. “From Delhi, I was taken to Mumbai, then Nairobi, and onwards to Amsterdam through another nation.

From there, we were taken to Suriname. When I reached there, the sub-agents demanded Rs 20 lakh, which was paid back home by my family,” Mandeep said.

Detailing the uncertain journey that began from there, Mandeep said, “From Suriname, we boarded a vehicle which was cramped with many people like me. We were taken to Guyana. From there it was non-stop travel for days. We crossed Guyana, then Bolivia before reaching Ecuador.” The group was then made to cross the Panama jungles.