A charter flight carrying more than 300 Indian nationals to Nicaragua was grounded by French authorities on Thursday, accusing them of being involved in a human trafficking racket. The passengers, who were mostly students and professionals, were detained at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and taken to a prison.
The French police said they had received intelligence that the flight was part of a network of people smugglers who exploited vulnerable migrants and refugees for money. They also said they had found evidence of fake passports, visas, and travel documents among the luggage of the passengers.
The Indian embassy in Paris said it was shocked and outraged by the arrest of its citizens and demanded their immediate release. It also said it was in contact with the French authorities to get consular access to the passengers and to understand the reasons behind their detention.
The embassy said it had no knowledge of any illegal activities or human trafficking involved in the trip, which was organized by a travel agency called ‘Vande Bharat’. The agency claimed that it had obtained all the necessary permissions and approvals from the Indian government and other authorities for the flight1
The agency also said that it had arranged for medical tests and quarantine facilities for all the passengers upon arrival in Nicaragua, where they were supposed to join their relatives or friends. It said it was cooperating with the French police to clear any misunderstanding or confusion.
The arrest of 300 Indians has sparked outrage among many Indians living in France, who have expressed solidarity with their fellow countrymen on social media platforms. Some have also staged protests outside the embassy and demanded justice for them.
Human trafficking is a serious crime that violates human rights and dignity. It involves exploiting people for forced labor, sexual exploitation, organ harvesting, or other purposes. According to UNICEF, there are an estimated 40 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, including 2 million children.
