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Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Narrowly escaped missile barrage': Kerala duo describe fleeing Tehran with local family amid Israel-Iran conflict
Two men from Kerala, who are based in Dubai, have found themselves stranded in Iran after arriving in Tehran on a work-related trip on Friday, the day that Israel attacked multiple locations in Iran, killing several key military leaders and scientists. Iran responded to the attack by firing missiles at Israel, and in the four days since then, the two countries have traded strikes, leaving hundreds dead in Iran and at least 24 dead in Israel. Hafsal and Muhammed, the men from Kerala's Malappuram district who work as business development officers in Dubai, have fled Tehran amid a number of strikes on the capital city, and are now over 600 km away in Yazd. During their 10-hour drive away from Tehran, they said they narrowly escaped a barrage of missiles. They said they were being supported by a local family in Yazd and are seeking further guidance from the Indian embassy. 'We are at a loss and do not know what to do next. We escaped from Tehran and travelled 10 hours to reach Yazd, where a local family has given us shelter. We need guidance from the Indian embassy. Yesterday, the embassy wanted us to remain where we are staying. But the situation is getting grim here also. Now, a local family supports us,' Hafsal said in a series of text messages. They were slated to return to Dubai on Sunday. 'We were staying in a hotel, but tensions started escalating from Sunday. From our hotel room, we watched in shock as missiles fell in the vicinity. Soon, missiles started falling everywhere, and people started fleeing. Then taxi services were suspended. There was an underground metro nearby and we sought shelter in it. Many others were running to that underground metro, and hence we also followed them,' Hafsal said. 'Embassy officials wanted to remain in Tehran, but we realised that our lives would be in danger if we continued there. Our local friend was escaping from Tehran along with his family, and he allowed both of us to join them on the journey early on Monday morning,' he said. Hafsal said that during the 10-hour road journey, they narrowly escaped from a barrage of missiles. 'We saw missiles crisscrossing the sky. We felt death was stalking us. The local friend's family advised us to stay in Yazd, which is a heritage city. We were told this city will be safe, but things are turning grim here also,' Hafsal said. He requested help from the Indian embassy to cross the border into either Armenia or Turkey. 'Officials of NORKA ROOTS, the Kerala government department for expatriates, are in touch with us. However, the embassy has to help us for an exit,' he said.
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Grandfather from Kochi shot dead in Pahalgam while riding horse
One of the tourists killed in the terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday was identified as Kochi resident Ramachandran. The 65-year-old had gone to Kashmir with his wife Sheela, daughter Arathi and her two children. 'Ramachandran was shot while he was riding a horse. All others in the family are safe. Later, Arathi identified the body of her father at a local hospital,' said Jayalakshmi, a neighbour of the family in the Edappally area of Kochi. The family had set out for Kashmir on Monday morning from Kochi via Hyderabad. 'During a recent gathering of locals, we were informed about their trip. This evening, when the news about the attack was splashed on TV channels, some of the relatives managed to speak to Arathi, who told them her father was shot dead. The incident happened in her presence,' said Jayalakshmi. Ramachandran had worked in the UAE for several years before moving back to Kochi four years ago along with his wife. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government would take steps for the safe return of Ramachandran's family. 'The death of the Ernakulam native is painful. NORKA ROOTS (the nodal agency for matters concerning non-resident Keralites) has been asked to take all steps necessary to help those in Kashmir,' he said. The Chief Minister said three High Court judges, Anil K Narendran, P G Ajith Kumar and G Gireesh, who are also touring Kashmir, are staying at a hotel in Srinagar. They will return Wednesday, he said. State legislators M Mukesh, T Siddique, K P A Majeed and K Ansalan are also safe in Srinagar, Vijayan said.
