Cuttack: A family of four from Cuttack, on a pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi, is stranded in Kashmir as tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, leading to cross-border firing and aerial raids, after ‘Operation Sindoor.
Awhan Panda (25), his father Prasanna (45), brother Aklanta (17), and cousin Satyajeet (16), left Cuttack on May 6 and had plans to reach Delhi by May 10, but violence in the region disrupted their plans. They are currently sheltered in Army quarters.
Awhan told TOI they are grateful for the Army’s support but are scared and uncertain about returning home, having never faced such a situation in 13 years of visiting the shrine.
The family, yet to be contacted by the Odisha government, relies on limited communication and Army rations. They have appealed for government help to evacuate. Odisha’s resident commissioner, Vishal Gagan, assured their safe return, stating a special train from Jammu will bring them to Delhi by Sunday evening, with transport arranged to Cuttack, the national daily added.
The state government had announced a comprehensive evacuation plan for those caught in cross-border attack launched by Pakistan since Thursday night. The office of the Resident Commission in New Delhi set up a 24×7 control room to monitor the situation and released a dedicated helpline for students and their families. A special train was arranged to ferry students from Jammu to Delhi, with plans underway for their onward journey to Odisha.
Five senior officers were deputed to oversee the operation, managing logistics, student safety, medical support, and coordination with railway authorities.
A group of students from Odisha, studying at the Central Sanskrit University in Jammu, were safely evacuated on May 9. The process is expected to get expedited with a stop to the military action between the two countries.
