Indian citizens scrambling to escape the Taliban occupation in Afghanistan are facing several challenges, ranging from their inability to get in touch with any embassy official and a sealed airport to difficulties in getting Covid test reports as necessitated by the Indian government for taking a flight, even as the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said that the Centre will “ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in Afghanistan”.
Thirty two-year-old Babloo from Bermo within limits of Gandhinagar police station of Bokaro district, working with in private organisation in Kabul for the last three months spent Monday morning in vain trying to reach the Hamid Karzai International airport only to find out that it was shut for commercial flights.
“I managed to reach Kabul airport but there were 8,000 or 9000 people trying to get a flight, none of them had tickets. They were out of control and the airport was guarded by Taliban and they couldn’t control the crowds and so they opened fire. I was running to save my life and later on I came to know that commercial flights are banned and only military flights are allowed,” said Babloo.
He said that he was in touch with several other Indians who were also stranded but they had also not heard or got any response from the authorities.
Family members of Babloo said that he had gone to Kabul to work in June this year but due to the atmosphere of panic created there after the capture of Taliban, he wants to return to his homeland. Although he had a return ticket on 16 August, he could not board any flight due to the huge crowd and chaos at the airport.
Babloo has informed about Kabul's condition to his family members through WhatsApp. While Bablu's brother Lalbabu and his wife Lakha Devi are pleading with the government to take steps for the return of Babloo. They have requested PM Modi and CM Hemant Soren through tweets for the return of Babloo.
Babloo told his family that he was living in a house near Kabul airport with three other companions from Uttar Pradesh, who are living in the same house under the shadow of fear.
He said that the sound of bullets is heard in between, due to which the fear increases even more. Taliban fighters also come to that area and say that unless there is an order from the commander, no one will act. He said that an attempt has been made to contact the embassy as well, but there is chaos. They want a safe return to their homeland from the government soon.