The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has formally raised concerns with the United States Embassy in New Delhi following the circulation of social media videos showing a young Indian man being pinned down and handcuffed by law enforcement officers at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The footage, originally shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Indian-American entrepreneur Kunal Jain, showed personnel from the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) restraining the man, whose identity was not disclosed. Jain tagged both the Indian Embassy in Washington and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in his posts, drawing official attention to the incident.
Two days after the videos surfaced, the MEA confirmed that the individual, a resident of Haryana, had entered the U.S. without a valid visa and was being deported under a court order. The Indian Consulate in New York verified his background and legal status.
According to Jain, the man was scheduled to board the same flight to New Delhi and could be heard speaking in Hindi with a Haryanvi accent, insisting that he was not “insane” despite being treated as such by officials. Jain claimed that the aircraft’s pilot refused to allow the individual to board after witnessing the scene.
Images posted on social media showed officers in PAPD uniforms restraining the man on the floor of the airport terminal.
The incident has sparked political backlash in India. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticized the Modi government, accusing it of failing to protect the dignity of Indian citizens abroad. In a post on X, Ramesh alleged the administration was neglecting the rights of Indians overseas and cited former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan following a brief military standoff on May 10.
Ramesh called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the matter directly with U.S. authorities and seek intervention amid what he described as a growing climate of fear among Indian students in America.
The incident comes against the backdrop of increasing concerns among international students, particularly Indians, over visa-related issues and deportations that began under Trump-era immigration policies. Some students affected by sudden visa cancellations have already initiated legal proceedings in the U.S.
In previous statements, the MEA emphasized that Indian nationals abroad must comply with the laws of their host countries, but also assured that diplomatic missions would offer support in cases involving legal or humanitarian concerns.
According to The Indian Express, India’s missions in Washington and New York have been in active contact with American officials to gather full details of the Newark episode. MEA sources confirmed the matter has been raised formally with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.
