'Operation Kaveri': 246 Indians from strife-torn Sudan land in Mumbai

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 28 : A total of 246 Indians from strife-torn Sudan arrived at the Mumbai airport as part of 'Operation Kaveri', on Thursday, the airport officials informed .

The evacuees onboard the IAF C-17 aircraft from Jeddah arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at 3.14 pm.

"Another #OperationKaveri flight comes to Mumbai. 246 more Indians come back to the motherland," Jaishankar tweeted on Thursday.

Among the evacuees, Gujarat accounted for the most at 73, followed by Maharashtra at 36, Uttar Pradesh at 34, Bihar at 24, Tamil Nadu 17, Telangana 14, Odisha 9, Rajasthan at 8, Karnataka at 5, Uttarakhand and West Bengal at 3 each, Punjab at 2 and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, an official said.

Around 300 pre-packed snack boxes and refreshments were distributed among the passengers upon arrival.

Dedicated counters were arranged at immigration for processing and clearance. Thermal checks were carried by APHO officers. Dedicated XBIS machines were also made operational for customs screening, the official said.

The 'Meeters and Greeters' area was made available as the assembly point and a state-wise segregated setup with signage was created.

The passengers were welcomed and seated in the waiting area as per their respective states. The state government officials were also present at the airport to facilitate the passengers, the release stated.

Sudan is experiencing bloodshed as a result of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces. Even though there is a 72-hour ceasefire, there have been allegations of violence.

Fighting has erupted between soldiers loyal to Sudanese army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary Rapid Support Soldiers (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

To ensure no Indian national is left behind in Sudan, India has launched 'Operation Kaveri' to bring back Indians stranded in conflict-hit Sudan and has deployed its military planes and warships in the war-torn country.

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