Police arrest two agents over death of 4 of family in illegal migration to US
Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Jan, 2023 12:11 PM
Ahmedabad, Jan 16 (IANS) The Ahmedabad crime branch has arrested two travel agents, who were allegedly responsible for the death of four members of a family in illegal migration to the US. These four people including two minors had frozen to death while illegally crossing from Canada to America in January 2022.
Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police Chaitanya Mandlik told the media on Monday, "On Saturday evening, the crime branch team arrested Bhavesh Patel from Palsana village in Gandhinagar district and Yogesh Patel from Ahmedabad city's Vastrapur area."
They were allegedly involved in illegally sending Jagdish Patel, Vaishali Patel and their children Vihangi and Dharmik to the US. They froze while crossing the Canada-US border near Emerson, on the Canadian side.
The officer said, "Bhavesh and Yogesh sent 11 persons from Kalol and Mehsana to Canada, from where they were asked to cross over to the US illegally. From Canada, two others Fenil Patel and Bittu Paji helped these two agents in an illegal migration racket."
Allegedly, the agents had given these 11 persons instructions that "You have to walk in -35 degree temperature to avoid arrest by Canadian or US security agencies." They were supposed to follow American gas station lights for directions.
The passenger reached at terminal number 3 on August 6. He was intercepted after he had crossed the Green Channel and was approaching towards the exit gate. On thorough checking of his baggage, nothing suspicious was found.
The operation was carried out in all seven border districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka. Major focus of this operation was to keep vigil on movement of drones carrying drugs and arms, ammunition, explosives and grenades in the border areas, an official statement said.
The passenger was intending to fly to Dubai by flight IX-141 from T3 on Thursday. Offloaded on the basis of suspicion, the man and his luggage was checked and the US currency recovered from plastic thread roll in his trolley bag.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday laid the foundation stone for the Sant Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences at Mastuana Sahib in Sangrur district to come up over an area of 25 acres with an estimated cost of nearly Rs 345 crore.
The Customs officials at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow have found six gold bars in a dustbin near the immigration area at the airport. The confiscated gold bars are valued at Rs 36.60 lakh in the market.
Of the arrested trio, one was caught with 250 gms Mephedrone valued at Rs 37.50 lakh and the other with 2.70 kgs of Mephedrone worth Rs 4.14 crore in the market. After sustained interrogation, the woman accused revealed details on their two associates of whom one was picked up late on Tuesday (August 2) and the fifth was caught with the narcotics consignment on Wednesday (August 3).
