India raises with US incident of 'ill-treatment' of Indian man at Newark airport

New Delhi: India has raised with the US an incident of an Indian man being handcuffed and allegedly treated like a criminal at the Newark Airport, official sources said on Wednesday. The Indian Consulate in New York has ascertained that the man hailing from Haryana had entered the US illegally without a valid visa and was being deported back to India as per a court order, they said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) raised the matter with the US embassy in New Delhi, the sources said. Videos of the Indian youth being pinned to the ground by US authorities at the Newark airport have gone viral. The Indian embassy in Washington DC and the Indian Consulate in New York have also been in touch with the US authorities to ascertain the details in the case, the sources said. Our Consulate in New York has ascertained that the individual who belongs to Haryana had entered the United States illegally without a valid visa and was being deported back to India as per a court order, they said. During his transit in Newark, on finding his behaviour not conducive for travel, he was restrained and admitted to a medical facility, they said.

Once he is fit to travel, the individual will be deported to India, the sources said. Our Consulate in New York continues to remain engaged with the US authorities on this matter, they added. The sources said earlier, "We have so far not received any details about the incident or the circumstances under which he was restrained, the flight he had to board or boarded and his final destination". The incident of the Indian man, being "handcuffed and allegedly treated like a criminal" was filmed by an Indian-American, Kunal Jain, who said he felt "helpless and heartbroken".