India evacuates over a hundred people from Kabul

A special flight on Friday brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans including members of the Hindu-Sikh minority community from Afghanistan to the national capital under Operation Devi Shakti as part of an evacuation mission undertaken by India, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said in a tweet, “Under Operation Devi Shakti, a special Kam Air flight arranged by India has arrived in New Delhi from Kabul.” “It has brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans including members of the Afghan Hindu-Sikh minority community,” Bagchi added.

The spokesperson also said that among the evacuees are 9 children, including 3 infants.

Last week, the Government stated in Lok Sabha that India has evacuated 565 stranded persons from Afghanistan since August when Kabul fell to the Taliban.

Answering a question from Congress MP Hibi Eden, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said officials of the Ministry of External Affairs were in contact with the Indians left behind. The statement, however, did not elaborate if the airlifted individuals also included some Afghans.

The Sikh delegation that arrived from Kabul has brought three copies of the Guru Granth Sahib to New Delhi. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and BJP chief J.P. Nadda carried Guru Granth Sahib brought by the Sikh delegation from Kabul.

In fact, apart from the three Sri Guru Granth Sahibs, Hindu religious scriptures including Ramanaya, Mahabharat and Bhagavad Gita from the ancient 5th Century Asamai Mandir in Kabul were also flown in. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is expected to be moved to Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Mahavir Nagar and the Hindu religious scriptures will proceed towards Asamai Mandir in Faridabad.

Earlier in the day, the India World Forum said that after their arrival, the Afghan nationals would be rehabilitated by Sobti Foundation. “It is pertinent to mention that the family of Mahram Ali, a local security guard who was killed during the terror attack in Gurdwara Guru Har Rai, Shor Bazar, Kabul is also being facilitated and being airlifted and will be rehabilitated by Sobti Foundation,” the statement read.