AHMEDABAD: The American dream of a Gujarat family of four had frozen with their bodies on the Canada border on January 16. Now, it has emerged on Sunday that the US aspirations of six other Gujaratis nearly sank them in frigid waters while they attempted a similar illegal entry into USA from the Canada border.
Gujarat police said on Sunday that the people smuggler from Dingucha in Gandhinagar who had organised the itinerary of the family of four from that town was also behind the latest human trafficking operation.
As for the six, it was reported on May 5 that they were rescued by the US and Canadian agencies. Another man, a US citizen, was part of the group. The boat carrying them began sinking in the icy St Regis river.
A statement from the US Customs and Border Protection agency said: “With assistance from the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, and the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department, US Border Patrol agents … apprehended seven individuals in connection with a failed smuggling attempt.” According to sources in Gujarat police, the six rescued Gujaratis are NA Patel, DH Patel, NE Patel, U Patel, S Patel, and DA Patel.
“They are all are aged between 19 and 21, hail from a north Gujarat district, probably Mehsana, and went to Canada in April on student visas,” a source said. The seventh person rescued is said to be an illegal immigration agent.
Citing information crosschecked with Gujarat police and other law enforcement agencies, the source said: “Bharat Patel, alias Bobby, along with his two accomplices, Bharagav Patel and Ankit Patel, had sent these boys to Canada.”
Bharat Patel and his men had facilitated the illegal immigration bid in January of Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishali, 37, and their children Vihangi, 11, and Dharmik, 3. The four victims were Dingucha residents. They froze to death on January 16. The rescue offers evidence that the Dingucha agent is still running his dangerous business.
