US Forces Sikh Deportees to Remove Turbans; SGPC Offers Head Coverings at Amritsar Airport

At least 24 Sikh deportees were allegedly forced to remove their turbans by U.S. authorities before being repatriated to India on a military aircraft, sources revealed. The incident, which took place as part of a large-scale deportation operation, has drawn sharp criticism from Sikh community leaders, who have condemned it as an affront to religious freedom.

The deportees were among a second batch of Indian nationals who landed at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport on Saturday night. Witnesses reported that several of them arrived without turbans, a deeply significant article of faith for Sikhs. Members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) provided them with a cloth to cover their heads upon arrival.

Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of the SGPC, criticized the U.S. officials for their treatment of the Sikh detainees, calling it “insensitive” and a violation of religious sentiments. SGPC secretary Partap Singh further condemned the action, stating, “The deportees were treated like criminals. Handcuffing and chaining them, and forcing them to remove their turbans, was a grave violation of their fundamental rights. These individuals were not criminals; they were victims who needed support.”

Singh called on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to raise the matter with his U.S. counterpart, emphasizing the need to protect Sikh religious rights globally. Former SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Garewal echoed these concerns, urging the Indian government to take diplomatic action.

Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Cabinet colleague Harbhajan Singh met with the deportees at the airport, where they were informed of their ordeal. Deportees recounted how they were handcuffed and ordered to remove their turbans, only having their restraints removed minutes before landing.

Sandeep Singh, an SGPC staff member, stated that arrangements had been made for langar (community meals) and temporary accommodation at the Golden Temple complex for those in need. “We are also providing transport facilities for those who require assistance reaching their homes,” he added.

The deportation drive is part of the U.S. administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration. Late Sunday night, a third batch of 112 Indian nationals arrived in Amritsar, following the repatriation of 119 individuals on Saturday.

Of the 119 deportees, 100 were from Punjab and Haryana—67 from Punjab and 33 from Haryana. The remaining included eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

A senior police official confirmed that deportees from Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra were provided onward travel assistance to their respective states via early morning flights. The repatriation process is expected to continue biweekly until all undocumented Indian migrants in U.S. custody are returned.