Karnataka appoints nodal officer to bring Kannadigas back from Afghanistan

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Aug 19, 2021: The Karnataka government on Wednesday, August 18, appointed senior IPS Officer Umesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police-CID, as a nodal officer to coordinate with the Union government to bring back residents of Karnataka stuck in Afghanistan. Stating that the officer will be coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding residents of Karnataka in Afghanistan, an official statement from the government said that a control room has been established in this regard.

 

"As there is a conflict situation in Afghanistan, to bring back Indians stranded there, the central government has already started a helpline. To coordinate with the central government and bring back Kannadigas safely from there, Umesh Kumar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police CID, Bengaluru, has been appointed as a nodal officer," the official notification said.

On August 17, India had brought back home the Indian Ambassador and staff at the Embassy in Kabul in a heavy-lift military transport aircraft, in view of the deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital, two days after its takeover by the Taliban. Earlier in the day, state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said there are 339 Afghans in Karnataka. Out of the 339 Afghan nationals, 192 are students and the Basavaraj Bommai administration will talk to the Union government on renewing their visas and will provide them "protection".

The Mysore University has also extended a helping hand to the students from Afghanistan and said that they will act as caretakers until things settle down in their country. The Vice-Chancellor G Hemanth Kumar has assured the students that he will request the government to extend their visas. Information on Karnataka residents stranded in Afghanistan may be sent to the following numbers and em

ail ID: 080-22094498 / 080-22942628, 9480800187 | afghan_kar@ksp.gov.in.

The information can also be furnished directly to the MEA.

Courtesy:The News Minute