Twenty-one-year-old Sahib Singh, a resident of Morian village in Dasuya tehsil, had dreamt of a life in America — a dream that ended in tragedy thousands of kilometres away in Guatemala. His killing while attempting to reach the United States through the illegal ‘dunki route’ has once again exposed the deep-rooted desperation driving Punjab’s youth toward perilous migration paths, despite repeated deportations, warnings and tragic precedents.
According to Sahib’s family, he left India late last year after paying Rs 45 lakh to a Haryana-based travel agent, who promised to help him reach the US through a chain of contacts operating in Latin America. The family sold a portion of their farmland, mortgaged valuables, and borrowed heavily to fund the journey — a move born out of hope but ending in devastation.
Once Sahib reached Central America, his fate took a dark turn. The traffickers, locally known as “donkers,” who were facilitating his passage through Guatemala, reportedly did not receive payment from the Indian agent. In retaliation, they abducted Sahib and another youth, demanding ransom from the families back home. When the money failed to reach, Sahib was allegedly killed. Weeks later, his family received a death certificate from a Guatemalan hospital showing the date March 4, 2025, listing an unidentified “Asian male.” A photograph confirmed their worst fears.
Police investigations have since revealed that the Haryana-based agent who collected the money never transferred the full amount to the traffickers abroad. Authorities in Punjab and Haryana have now begun probing the case under human trafficking and cheating charges, while Sahib’s family continues to seek help in bringing his remains home.
But Sahib’s tragic story is not an isolated one. Across Punjab — especially in the Doaba region, which includes districts like Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, and Jalandhar — families continue to sell land and assets to send their sons abroad. The ‘dunki route’, derived from the Punjabi word dunki meaning “to jump borders,” has become a dangerous yet popular pathway to enter the United States illegally through Latin American countries such as Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, and Mexico.
Despite recent deportations and deaths, thousands continue to take this risk. According to official data, over 18,000 Indians — most of them from Punjab — were caught attempting illegal entry into the US in 2024 alone. Dozens have died en route, and hundreds have been deported after spending months in detention camps. Yet, the trend shows no sign of slowing down.
Experts say the reasons are deeply embedded in Punjab’s socio-economic realities. The state, once known for its agricultural prosperity, now faces rising unemployment, declining farm income, and growing debt. For many families, migration has become not just an aspiration but a survival strategy. The glittering success stories of relatives and neighbours settled abroad only add to the pressure.
“Every village in Doaba has someone in Canada or America,” said sociologist Dr Harpreet Grewal. “It’s not just about earning money — it’s about social status. Parents feel proud if their son is settled abroad. That mindset fuels a dangerous industry of agents who exploit dreams for profit.”
The US government, meanwhile, has intensified deportations of illegal entrants, many of whom are young Indians caught at the southern border. Several planeloads of deportees have returned to India this year, their families left humiliated and bankrupt. The Indian government has repeatedly warned against taking illegal routes, but the allure of the American dream remains stronger than the fear of deportation.
In Morian village, Sahib Singh’s house has become a gathering place for grief. Neighbours recall him as polite and ambitious, a boy who wanted to ease his family’s burden. His father, a small farmer, still clutches the file of travel documents and receipts from the agent. “We gave everything we had,” he said. “The agent promised our son would land in America in a few weeks. Instead, they sent him back dead.”
The tragedy has reignited calls for stricter action against human trafficking networks operating across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. Enforcement Directorate teams have already raided several travel firms suspected of running illegal migration rings, but experts say the real solution lies deeper — in creating jobs, restoring rural incomes, and changing the mindset that equates success with foreign migration.
Sahib Singh’s death, officials say, is a warning that should not be ignored. Yet, in dozens of villages across Punjab, young men continue preparing to leave, convinced that a better life lies across the ocean — even if it means gambling everything, including their lives, to get there.
