Punjab Police's Crackdown on Rogue Travel Agents

The Punjab Police launched a large-scale operation against illegal travel agents, conducting raids across 1,274 immigration firms in the state. This effort aims to protect local youth aspiring to settle abroad from deceitful agents, following recent deportations of Indian immigrants by the US. Numerous agents were arrested.

The Punjab Police aggressively cracked down on unlicensed travel agents to curb the exploitation of young people aspiring to settle overseas. Raids were conducted at 1,274 immigration firms on the orders of Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, targeting deceitful practices in all 28 police districts.

This operation comes in response to the recent deportation of illegal Indian migrants by the US, where many deportees from Punjab and Haryana alleged they were exploited by travel agents, who failed to deliver on promises of legal entry after charging hefty fees. Instead, these individuals were funneled through dangerous, illegal routes into America.

Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla reported that police registered 24 FIRs and arrested seven agents during the operation. The enforcement action follows strict adherence to the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act, 2012. Citizens are urged to only engage licensed agents to avoid scams and legal pitfalls.