Operation Sindhu: 2 more flights with evacuated Indian students from Iran to land tonight; government steps up rescue efforts
Boarding of the evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
India has stepped up efforts in bringing back its citizens under Operation Sindhu from conflict ridden Middle East with back and forth attaks between Israel and Iran enterng Day 8.
A day after flight carrying 110 Indians landed in Delhi, two more evacuation flights have been scheduled to arrive in India on Friday night. The first aircraft will touch down in Delhi at approximately 11:30 pm from Mashad, whilst the second flight from Ashgabat is expected to land in Delhi at about 3 am on Saturday.
Whilst Indian embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv are facilitating evacuations, many individuals dispersed across religious centres and universities face uncertain and dangerous circumstances regarding their return.
Ten students from Bulandshahr's Sakhni village in UP have been unreachable since the recent missile strikes in Iran. Among them is 22-year-old Sadaf Zehra, a third-year MBBS student at Tehran University. Her father, Zia-ul-Hassan, said, "She said she was fine, then her phone went off. The next day she called and said the university had moved them to a safer location three hours away."
Azhar Abbas, another student, survived a missile strike that claimed five of his classmates.
"We spoke to him in a video call three days ago," said his uncle, Muzammil Abbas. "Since then, there has been no contact."
Abbasi Beghum, 60, experienced dangerous blood pressure levels upon hearing about the attacks. "I lost my husband three years ago. I worked hard to send my son abroad."
Across UP, numerous families face similar situations. Several pilgrims from Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Meerut were stranded in Iran, including 28 pilgrims from Lucknow, amongst them 83-year-old Kaneez Haider.
The group had departed for Iraq on May 27 and entered Iran on June 9, planning to visit Karbala, Mashhad, Tehran, Nishapur and Kashan. Many had initially completed Haj, concluding with Eid on Monday, before proceeding to Iran - a typical route for Shia pilgrims visiting religious shrines.
Tour operator Aqeel Jafar Rizvi of Mehndi Tours and Travels reported over 1,000 pilgrims from Lucknow in Iran, many experiencing financial difficulties and limited medicine access. Families in Kithaur's Isapur area of Meerut confirmed 11 additional pilgrims, including families with children, remain stranded.
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