- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Thu, 21 Dec 2023 01:10 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bollywood flamboyant star Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki movie has created inquisitiveness among people to know about the meaning of its title and the stories behind it. The immigration drama is based on the process of illegally entering countries while taking remote and backdoor routes. The process is called ‘Donkey Flight’ and is prevalent in India, especially in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Every year, youths pay large amounts of money to agencies to reach the US, UK and Canada through this unsanctioned provision.
What Is Dunki
This is a Punjabi vernacular term which means hopping from one place to another’. This complex and risky provision is usually adopted when legal routes to enter a country don’t work for the youths and they are hell-bent on fulfilling their dreams of reaching abroad. The process involves rigorous travel of months through complex routes using different modes of transport. A person, who decides to embark on the precarious odyssey, is asked to pack abundant food and other requisite stuff. He is made to travel through different routes which include sea and forest.
Indians - Dunki Bonhomie
As per the data released by the US Customs and Border Protection Department, over 96,917 Indians were either apprehended, expelled or denied entry to the United States, who were seeking entry through the Dunki method in the 2023 fiscal year. This figure was 19,883 in 2019-20. The bid to enter the US is made through Mexico. The route to the US goes through the Middle East, Africa, South America and Mexico. If one has to reach Canada the route adopted goes through Bahrain, Turkey and Brazil.
How Things Work Out At Times
Though it’s a complex and risky process, Dunki may at times work to fulfil one’s foreign dreams. Most people are trained to purposely surrender before the authorities during the trespass. When asked to justify the cause of illegally entering, they explain that they escaped their country due to life threats, religious persecution, war or some other grave concern. Such people are made to live in refugee camps and later get permanent stay permits.
Risks Associated With Dunki
The first major risk in the process is fraud associated with it. Many agents extract money from people on the pretext of sending them abroad. The exercise is not documented, thus no legal claims could be made in this regard. Many people even get shot down by defence forces while attempting to cross the borders illegally.
The routes taken during the flight are full of danger and challenges. People at times get robbed of their money and belongings while on the journey. Also, forest routes are usually full of wild animals that pose a major threat to the people. Moreover, smuggled migrants are also more vulnerable to becoming victims of other crimes during the smuggling process.
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Dunki As Safe Passage For Criminals
Criminals usually take this route to abscond India after committing a crime. In the recent sensational revelation, Rohit Godhara, the alleged mastermind of high-profile Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi murder, reportedly availed this route to escape captivity. Many other people, who are banned from leaving the country, employ this measure to escape.