Relief for Maha citizens as Indian team reaches Iran

As Iran grapples with a growing number of COVID-19 cases, caused by a new strain of the coronavirus, travellers from Maharashtra, including many from Mumbai, are

As Iran grapples with a growing number of COVID-19 cases, caused by a new strain of the coronavirus, travellers from Maharashtra, including many from Mumbai, are waiting to be evacuated by Indian authorities.

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On Thursday, minister for external affairs Dr S Jaishankar tweeted, “Our medical team for screening arrives in Iran today. Hope to establish first clinic at Qom by this evening. Screening process will start immediately thereafter. Working on logistics of return with Iranian authorities.”

Earlier this week, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had said that 1,200 Indians are stranded in Iran and the Central government plans to evacuate them. As HT had reported earlier, National Institute of Virology (NIV) has sent one scientist to Iran to analyse samples from Indians in Iran for coronavirus and facilitate the rescue operation. Those who test negative for the virus will be brought back.

Nawaz Chhibber, a 50-year-old resident of Mumbai Central, went on a pilgrimage to Iran on February 21 with his wife and four children, including a seven-year-old daughter. They were supposed to return on March 3, but on February 25, they were informed that their flight had been cancelled. One of Chhibber’s daughters is an undergraduate student of Mumbai’s KC College and has examinations at the end of this month.

The Chhibbers moved out of Tehran, where the maximum number of COVID-19 cases have been reported, to Mashhad, which is 800 km away. Chhibber said he has called the Indian embassy in Iran repeatedly.

“On Thursday, I got to know that all the travellers will have to undergo tests. Then the government will make a list of passengers [who have tested negative for coronavirus] who will be allowed to fly back to India. But there is no clarity from the embassy though they are constantly in touch with us,” said Chhibber from Mashhad. He said the family was not stepping out of their hotel room for fear of getting infected.

Kolhapur resident, 45-year-old Sanjay Gurav went to Iran on a business trip and has not been allowed to board flights back to India despite testing negative for coronavirus.

His wife and three children are in Kolhapur, and have been requesting the Indian government to bring Gurav back.

Gurav’s colleague Vaishali Dikshali, a resident of Mumbai, said, “His blood reports have come negative for coronavirus and despite this, he is not being allowed to fly. His family members are really worried about him.” More than 100 people had died of COVID-19 and 3,513 had tested positive for coronavirus in Iran.