111 Pune residents return from Dubai, efforts on to bring back the rest amid West Asia tensions

The state government said that it is maintaining close coordination with the Union government and Indian missions abroad to ensure the safety of the citizens of Maharashtra

As many as 111 residents of Pune district stranded in Dubai returned home safely on Wednesday even as efforts are underway to bring back the rest, said Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi.

Nirav Modi returns to Mumbai with his twin girls and reunites with his wife, who has been residing in the city, after being stranded in Dubai. (HT FILE)

According to Dudi, 111 of the total 184 residents of Pune district who were stuck in Dubai, including 84 students, have reached Pune amid continued tensions in West Asia following the US-Israel attack on Iran. “The departure timing of 19 citizens has been rescheduled, and the process to facilitate the return of the remaining 54 is going on in coordination with the authorities,” Dudi said.

The development comes a day after deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde organised two special flights from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Mumbai, bringing back 164 tourists from Maharashtra including 48 students from the Pune-based Indira School of Business Studies.

According to Shinde’s office, the two aircraft - which departed at 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm, carrying 76 and 88 passengers, respectively -landed in Mumbai on Tuesday night. Among the passengers were 84 students from a Pune-based management institute as well as residents of Pune, Thane and Ahilyanagar.

Shinde said that it is a relief to bring back citizens who were under tremendous pressure due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia; and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah for their leadership.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government, in line with advisories issued by the Centre, has urged Indian nationals residing in West Asian countries — including Palestine (Ramallah), Qatar (Doha), Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), Israel (Tel Aviv), Iran (Tehran), Iraq (Baghdad), Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) — to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel and strictly follow instructions issued by local authorities and Indian embassies.

The state government said that it is maintaining close coordination with the Union government and Indian missions abroad to ensure the safety of the citizens of Maharashtra, and has appealed to those overseas to remain calm, rely only on official information, and contact embassy helplines in case of emergency.