Bhubaneswar: The escalating conflict in West Asia has sparked grave concerns over the safe return of people from Odisha stranded in the region, as widespread airspace closures and ongoing military strikes continue to severely disrupt air travel.
Responding to queries from reporters, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Sunday said that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has held talks with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for evacuation of Odias caught in the turmoil. “Very soon, people from our state will return home safely,” he assured, emphasising on coordinated efforts at both state and central levels.
The Minister said that PM Modi and the MEA were implementing comprehensive
measures to repatriate all Indian citizens from the conflict zone. “Not a single Indian will be left behind,” Harichandan stressed.
This comes in the wake of a major attack by the United States and Israel on Iran on Saturday, which resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Air travel across West Asia and several other countries, including India, has been severely disrupted due to airspace restrictions following the joint attack and Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf cities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama for a second consecutive day.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for evacuation of around 1,200 Kashmiri students stuck in Iran.
On February 23, Indian Embassy in Tehran had reiterated its January advisory, urging all Indian nationals in Iran, including students, pilgrims, business travelers, and tourists, to leave the country immediately using any available commercial flights, or other means of transport, citing the rapidly evolving and deteriorating security situation.