First evacuees tell of Libyan horror

A suitcase and a horror story was all 63-year-old Mohammad Sali could get back from Libya, which is seeing a violent uprising against its leader Muammar Gaddafi. Karan Choudhury reports.

A suitcase and a horror story was all 63-year-old Mohammad Sali could get back from Libya, which is seeing a violent uprising against its leader Muammar Gaddafi.

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Sali, a chemical engineer, was one of the 291 Indians who were put on the first flight back home from Tripoli after clashes broke out.

Sali has been splitting his time between Libya and India, working for AHLCO Italia.

When looting began, the Indian government pulled them out of the mess as part of 'Operation Safe Homecoming'.

The safest place to sleep, according to Sali, was the international airport. Though he is disappointed leaving Libya, his home for 31 years but Sali is happy to be back alive.

"I just came back alive. Rioters took away my car, laptop and money," said Sali.

Terminal 2 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport has been turned into a temporary camp for Indian passengers arriving from Libya. Many of them are from Kerala, AP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Punjab.

With two flights coming back everyday from Tripoli, officials are not taking any chances.

"Our men are on the job," said VK Kapoor, a Customs officer.