Tears, cheers, relief at Delhi airport as Indians from Iran reunite with families
New Delhi: Anxious parents and family members broke into smiles of relief at 11.32 pm on Friday, as the arrival board at Indira Gandhi International Airport flashed news of the Mahan Airlines flight carrying around 290 Indians evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu landing. Walking out of Gate Number 6, some of the evacuees chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Hindustan Zindabad', while others broke down upon seeing their families (PTI)
Around 10,000 Indians, many of them students, were in Iran when hostilities erupted over the weekend following Israel's air strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. Iran eased airspace restrictions for three charter flights to evacuate about 1,000 Indian nationals who were moved to safer places from Tehran, a senior Iranian diplomat had said on Friday.
Walking out of gate number 6 of terminal 3, some of the evacuees chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Hindustan Zindabad', while others broke down upon seeing their families.
'Indian embassy officials made sure that we had a safe stay during our journey and proper supply of food and other necessities for all the passengers,' Sadiya Sheikh, a second-year MBBS (bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery) student of Islamic Azad University in Tehran, said.
'The evacuated students relatively had a safe exit from Tehran,' 22-year-old Sadiya added as she hugged her father Nikhat Sheikh at the Delhi airport.
Srinagar resident Daud, who is a third-year MBBS student in Tehran, said that the rescue operation had started almost three to four days ago while Tehran was being bombed heavily. 'We had to board a bus to the city of Qom that is roughly 150 km from Tehran. From Qom we took a 14-hour bus journey to the city of Mashhad from where we boarded the plane,' the 21-year-old explained as he boarded a bus slated to take evacuees to Srinagar. Students recalled massive explosions they heard last week in Iran's national capital, especially during the night. (PTI)
Students recalled massive explosions they heard last week in Iran's national capital, especially during the night. 'Rockets, drones were flying across the city of Tehran, there were huge explosions. Indian officials were with us through the entire process, guiding us through the entire journey,' Miftablal, a 22-year-old resident of Srinagar, told HT.
Irtika, another third-year MBBS student of Islamic Azad University, said, 'There were multiple explosions, we did not know where or how they were happening in the city, we were peeking out of the window and could see trails of missiles in the night sky.'
The 23-year-old resident of Jammu and Kashmir said that sounds of missiles and bombs exploding had created panic among students. 'As the war continues, our studies are halted and college is shut indefinitely. We don't know when we are going to return and start our course,' she added.
Apart from students, the Mahan Airlines flight carried passengers who were on a pilgrimage visit to Iran.
Syed Nazamul Hasan, a 44-year-old resident of Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, had travelled to Mashhad on June 3 and was scheduled to return home on June 14. 'My flight got cancelled. My family was scared as they did not know when we were going to return,' he said.
The second flight carrying Indian evacuees from Iran took two and a half hours and landed on Saturday morning. More flights might be operated in the coming days for others wishing to return to India.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
28 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Why US moved B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to Guam and how far is it from Iran?
The United States moved its B-2 bombers to Guam on Saturday, Reuters reported, citing two sources. This comes as tensions between Israel and Iran rose over the past week, with President Donald Trump weighing whether Washington should take part in Tel Aviv's strikes against Tehran. The White House has not confirmed why the bombers were deployed and if it is connected to the conflict in the Middle East. US moved B-2 Stealth Bombers to Guam on Saturday (AFP) The B-2 is equipped to carry the US's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which is designed to destroy targets deep underground. Washington has hinted that this weapon could be used to strike Iran's nuclear capability. One official told Reuters that no further orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. Reports suggested that the move reduces sortie times compared to flights from Missouri, enhancing readiness for potential strikes. Read More: Nuclear watchdog warns of 'serious catastrophe' if Israel targets Iran's Bushehr reactor Guam's distance from Iran minimizes exposure to Iranian retaliation, unlike Middle Eastern bases, per However, some experts, according to NBC News, said that it was precautionary, noting no strike orders and ongoing diplomacy efforts by European leaders. Distance from Iran to Guam The approximate distance from Guam to Iran is 7,500 kilometers (4,660 miles). The B-2's unrefueled range of 9,000–10,000 kilometers allows it to reach Iran from Guam, though mid-air refueling, supported by KC-46 Pegasus tankers. Israel said on Saturday it had killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides in the more than week-long air war, while Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat. Read More: 'Grossi will pay after...': Khamenei aide's blood-chilling threat to IAEA chief Israel says Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran says its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses," he said. (With inputs from Reuters)
India Today
31 minutes ago
- India Today
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei names potential successors in case he is killed: Report
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has identified three senior clerics as potential successors in the event of his death, according to The New York Times, citing three Iranian Iran's constitution, the death of a supreme leader triggers a selection process led by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, this process has been used only once, when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was chosen as successor in aims to ensure a swift and orderly transition upon his death, The New York Times reported, citing sources. Khamenei has taken an extraordinary series of steps to preserve the Islamic Republic ever since Israel launched a series of surprise attacks last Friday, the report InMust Watch
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
BMHRC opens DOTS facility at health centre in Ginnouri
Iran SHOCKS World With Its NUKES; Threatens To Pull Out Of Nuclear Ban Treaty If Israel Attacks... Iran has sent shockwaves through the world by announcing its intent to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), dramatically escalating its standoff with Israel. Tehran signaled this stunning shift as Israeli air raids pummel Iranian cities for a fourth straight day, with the civilian death toll surpassing 220 and thousands injured. Iran's parliament is preparing a bill to quit the NPT and reconsider its nuclear weapons policy — a historic reversal after decades of insisting its nuclear program was peaceful. Times Of India
