Indian Man Handcuffed at USA's Newark Airport: Witness Calls It 'A Human Tragedy'

A video capturing an Indian man being forcefully restrained at Newark Liberty International Airport has triggered widespread outrage after it went viral on social media. The incident was first brought to light by Kunal Jain, an Indian-American entrepreneur, who described the scene as “deeply inhumane” and “heartbreaking.”

According to Jain, the young man, believed to be a student, appeared visibly distressed, disoriented, and possibly unwell. The situation escalated when immigration officers denied him boarding, allegedly due to concerns over safety. The student, who was communicating in Hindi and Haryanvi, was then pinned to the ground by several airport officers.

 “I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night — handcuffed, crying, treated like a criminal. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy,” Jain wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The disturbing footage shows at least four Port Authority Police officers restraining the man on the floor. His hands and legs were tied as he repeatedly cried out:

“Main pagal nahi hoon, yeh log mujhe pagal sabit karne mein lage hue hain.”
("I'm not mad, they are trying to prove that I am mentally unstable.")

Jain noted that while nearly 50 people were in the queue, none dared to intervene or question the authorities’ conduct. “The worst part was when more officers showed up, cleared out the entire line, tied his limbs, and held him down. At that point, I broke down. Why did it have to be done so publicly?” he said in an interview.

He added that the real issue stemmed from a communication gap. “He was speaking in Hindi and Haryanvi, and the officers claimed they couldn’t understand him. I offered to help interpret, but they refused and instead called more backup,” Jain recounted.

He believes the young man’s state of confusion and agitation may have led to assumptions about his mental health, which only worsened how he was handled. “In most cases, they try to maintain a person’s dignity. But here, that was completely ignored.”

Jain also raised concerns about the harsh reality many Indian students face in the U.S. — from sky-high tuition fees to post-study visa struggles. “They come here full of hope and ambition. But when they fail to secure a job, their legal status becomes fragile, and many end up in limbo. Is this the treatment they deserve?”

In response to the viral video and growing concern, the Consulate General of India in New York issued a statement on X:

“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. The Consulate remains ever committed to the welfare of Indian Nationals.”

So far, the identity of the student has not been made public. Authorities are still trying to confirm when the incident took place and whether the student has returned to India or is still in custody.

Jain, President of HealthBots AI, concluded his post by saying,

 “He came chasing dreams, not causing harm.”

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