BENGALURU: Of hundreds of Indian nationals reportedly stranded in Afghanistan, two from Karnataka will make it safely back home on Sunday.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), CID, Umesh Kumar, who has been appointed as the nodal officer by the State Government to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, said Fr P Robert Rodrigues from Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district and Fr Jerome Sequeira from Mangaluru city are likely to return to India on Sunday.
“Fr Rodrigues’ relative had called the control room requesting for assistance for his return to India. We contacted him in return and had forwarded his request to the MEA for co-ordination. They cleared it. Fr Jerome is with Fr Rodrigues. The two are likely to return on Sunday,” said Kumar. Sources, meanwhile, said that the two priests were part of a group of 250 Indians airlifted in two Indian Air Force planes.
Rescue parents, plead 14 students
The update late on Saturday night stated that the flights have crossed the Indian borders and would land soon. Meanwhile, 14 Afghan students studying in Bengaluru have requested the help desk to rescue their parents stranded in Afghanistan and bring them to India on temporary visas. “We have made a list and on
MEA’s advisory, have asked the students to inform their parents to apply online for temporary visas,” MEA added.
Af students in Mangaluru seek refugee status
A group of Afghan students studying in Mangaluru have appealed to the government to grant them refugee status, as their return home appears impossible after the Taliban took control. A group of around 50 students and their family members met Mangaluru City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar in his office and submitted a representation in this regard.