Chandigarh, June 26: To help the families of Punjabis detained as illegal immigrants at Oregon in the US, the state government on Monday set up a facility on the Punjab Police helpline No. 181.
Responding to the state’s request, the Ministry of External Affairs has forwarded the names of the 52 detainees to the state’s Department of Home Affairs and Justice, but sans addresses.
“We are coordinating with the passport offices in Chandigarh and Jalandhar to reach out to their families,” said officials in the Chief Minister’s Office. The Home Affairs Department has been asked to coordinate with the police to facilitate sharing of information with the families of the detainees.
Earlier, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had urged the External Affairs Minister to help the 52 Indians, mostly Sikhs.
The officials said the case could be different as it was an issue of political asylum seekers. Many of these persons might be wanted for some crime in India or could be sympathisers of a separatist movement. “If the families seek help, the government will do the needful,” they said.
Source Tribune India
