A video of an Indian student being handcuffed and forced to the ground by officials at Newark Airport in New Jersey has gone viral, causing anger on social media. The video, recorded by a witness named Kunal Jain, an Indian-American entrepreneur, shows the student being treated like a criminal. In the video, at least four officers are seen holding the student down. Two of them had their knees on his back, while the student’s hands and legs were tied. He was later deported.

“I saw a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night, he was handcuffed, crying, and treated like a criminal. He came here to follow his dreams, not to cause trouble,” wrote Mr Kunal Jain, an Indian-American, in a post on X. He said he felt helpless and heartbroken and asked the Indian Embassy in the US to look into the matter and help the student.

A day later, the Indian Embassy in New York responded. They said they had seen the posts on social media about the Indian student facing trouble at Newark Airport. “We are in touch with local authorities. The Consulate is always committed to the welfare of Indian nationals,” the embassy said.

About the incident

Mr Jain, who saw the whole thing, told NDTV that even terrorists aren’t treated like this. “There were around 50 people there, but no one said anything. The student seemed a little violent and confused. I don’t know why. The officers said they couldn’t understand him because he was speaking Haryanvi, a local Indian language. I thought I could help, so I asked the police if I could translate. But they said no, instead, the officer called for more police, ” Mr Jain said.

“When someone acts violently, they aren’t allowed on the plane. So, the pilot was called, and he said the student couldn’t fly. That’s when the police pinned him down. The worst part was when 7–8 more officers came. They cleared the line, tied his hands and legs, and held him to the ground. I started crying. Why did they treat him like that in front of everyone?” Mr Jain told NDTV.

As per the witness, the student was shouting, “I’m not mad, they are trying to prove I’m mad,” while officers told him to “shut down.” He was stressed and confused, which is why he spoke in Hindi.The witness, Mr. Jain, said the issue was poor communication. He believes something went wrong during immigration, and the student’s visa was denied. “Even if someone is sent back, their dignity should be respected,” he added.