370 AFGHAN HINDUS, SIKHS TO REACH INDIA ON AUG 12, 25

CHANDIGARH: A total of 370 Hindus and Sikhs stranded in Jalalabad, Kabul and Ghazni cities of Afghanistan will reach New Delhi in two batches on August 12 and 25. Each batch will include 185 passengers whose arrival has been arranged in a special charter plane.

Those scheduled to arrive this month are among 450 members of the Indian origin living in Afghanistan, who are under constant threat from local terrorists, especially after March 25 bomb blast in a gurdwara in which 29 persons were killed. According to philanthropist and international president of the World Punjabi Organisation, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, who is behind this evacuation, said 150 visas of the 370 have been cleared and the remaining are in process.“these are long term visas which will be converted into permanent residency at a later stage,” said Sahney.delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will provide temporary accommodation to these migrants at gurdwaras in the national capital for up to three months.