A video showing an Indian student being handcuffed and pinned to the floor by officers at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey has gone viral, leading to widespread concern on social media.
The Indian Embassy in New York has acknowledged the incident and said it is in contact with local authorities to address the matter.
The video was recorded by Indian-American businessman Kunal Jain, who witnessed the event. It shows at least four officers restraining the student, with two of them pressing their knees into his back while his hands and legs were tied.
Jain said the student appeared to be crying and distressed. He claimed the student was disoriented and speaking in a Haryanvi dialect that the authorities could not understand. Jain offered to help interpret but said officers declined and instead called in more police.
This poor kids parent won’t know what’s happening to him. @IndianEmbassyUS @DrSJaishankar he was to be boarded last night in the same flight with me but he never got boarded. Someone needs to find out what’s going on with him at New Jersey authorities. I found him disoriented. pic.twitter.com/kpMiy9Trsp
— Kunal Jain (@SONOFINDIA) June 8, 2025
According to Jain, the student was prevented from boarding a flight after the pilot deemed him a threat. Officers then restrained him in public, emptied the queue, and forcefully tied his limbs. Jain also reported that the student kept shouting that he was not mentally unstable and was being wrongly labelled.
The Indian Consulate in New York confirmed on June 9 that it was aware of the video circulating online and had reached out to local authorities. No further details have been released about the student’s identity or the exact reason for his deportation.
We have come across social media posts claiming that an Indian national is facing difficulties at Newark Liberty International Airport. We are in touch with local authorities in this regard.
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) June 9, 2025
The Consulate remains ever committed for the welfare of Indian Nationals.@MEAIndia…
This incident comes against the backdrop of earlier controversies involving the treatment of Indian nationals in the United States. In February 2025, over 100 Indians were deported under strict immigration actions, and concerns were raised about the manner in which they were handled. That incident, like the recent one at Newark Airport, sparked criticism and calls for more humane procedures.
Jain said the student might have known English but seemed emotionally disturbed, which may have led to misunderstandings during the immigration process. He described the physical restraint used on the student as excessive. As the video continues to be widely shared online, there are growing demands for clarity and accountability from both Indian and US authorities.
