Worry shrouds kin of those stranded

INDIANS FROM U’KHAND, U.P., WEST BENGAL STUCK IN CRISISHIT AFGHANISTAN. FAMILIES BACK HOME PLAN TO WRITE TO PM FOR ASSISTANCE

LUCKNOW/DEHRADUN/KOLKATA: Several families in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal on Wednesday expressed worry and appealed for immediate evacuation of their loved ones from Afghanistan where the re-emergence of the Taliban triggered fear and panic across the country.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district, Sujit Maurya expressed concerns over the safety of his 40-year-old brother Ranjit Maurya who is stuck in a steel factory near Kabul.

“I spoke to Ranjit on his mobile on Tuesday evening. He told me that around 28 people from various districts of Uttar Pradesh were trapped in the factory. The owner of the factory, a resident of Afghanistan, assured them safety, food and lodging,” he said.

“My brother panicked after a Taliban commander visited the factory along with fighters on Tuesday. The commander told my brother and other people from Uttar Pradesh that Afghanistan was now under the control of the Taliban and that Islamic law had been enforced in the country. Everyone has to follow the new law, else they should be ready to face the consequences,” Maurya said, adding that the passports of all the stranded workers were in the custody of the factory owner who assured to return them once the work in the unit was completed.

Maurya said he will also approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure the safe return of his brother and others.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state government is in constant touch with over 300 of its residents who have been issuing fervent pleas to be evacuated from the land-locked country.

In videos sent to their family members in Uttarakhand, a group of ex-servicemen who used to work with private security agencies to assist the nowcollapsed Ashraf Ghani-led administration are seen pleading with the central government for their safe return.

The men claimed that they were stranded in major cities such as Kabul, Kandahar and Herat.

On Wednesday, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that more 200 people from north Bengal were stranded in Afghanistan.