Ludhiana: A life abroad has been the most long cherished dream of city residents, handed down generations on the promise of better standard of living.However, the desire has also spawned desperation, with many willing to gamble away homes, land and life savings, only to fall prey to unregistered emigration agents and fraudulent firms.Official data underscores the scale of the problem. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Ludhiana commissionerate reported the highest number of cases registered under the Emigration Act among 34 metropolitan cities in 2024.A total of 60 cases were registered in Ludhiana last year, far ahead of Thiruvananthapuram, which reported 10 cases, and Tiruchirapalli with just one. Ludhiana alone accounted for 84.5% of all such cases recorded across metropolitan cities.The number of cases also rose sharply year-on-year. In 2023, Ludhiana reported 40 cases under the Act, indicating a 50% increase in 2024. The city has consistently topped the list in recent years, including in 2021 and 2022.In Punjab, Ludhiana ranked first, followed by Ropar with six cases and Ludhiana rural with two.In contrast, Ludhiana ranked fourth among metropolitan cities in cases registered under the Passport Act in 2024. Tiruchirapalli reported the highest number of such cases at 193, followed by Thiruvananthapuram.Police officials attributed the high number of cases in Ludhiana to a targeted crackdown on illegal immigration agents. “We launched a campaign against unregistered agents and filed several cases. People must verify credentials before approaching any agent,” an official said.Legal experts said lack of awareness and desperation to migrate make people vulnerable. Advocate Yogesh Khanna said many families, driven by unemployment and other concerns, seek to send their children abroad without understanding the risks.“Unscrupulous agents exploit this situation. Often, those who fall victim are unaware of whether an agent is genuine or licensed,” he said, adding that many such operators function without proper documentation.Khanna advised people to verify licences and documents before making payments. Under the amended law, illegal agents can face imprisonment ranging from seven to 14 years and fines up to Rs 10 lakh.Social activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira said families often sell land or jewellery to arrange money, making fraud cases particularly distressing. He stressed the need for greater awareness at the district level.“Most complaints are registered only after people are cheated. There should be regular checks on immigration centres and better enforcement to ensure strict punishment in such cases,” he said.
