Ludhiana-based family stuck in Dubai, says no help from Indian authorities yet
A couple from family returning through chartered plane after paying Rs 1 lakh per person
The Indian and state governments may be making tall claims about rescuing stranded Indian citizens in Dubai, but a Ludhiana-based family says it has been over a week since they were stranded there and no assistance has been provided by the Indian authorities so far.
While a couple from the family is planning to return to India tonight through a chartered plane, the other members of the family remain stuck in Dubai.
Raju Sharma, owner of Kuber Petrol Station near Aarti Chowk, had travelled to Dubai on February 28 and was scheduled to return on March 4. However, due to air strikes following the Iran–Israel conflict, the entire family got stranded there.
Talking to The Tribune over the phone, a panicked Sharma said that his entire family — including his wife, two sons, daughters-in-law and grandchild who had come from the United States — had gathered in Dubai for a week-long vacation.
“Unfortunately, we all got stuck due to the sudden Iran – Israel war. My wife and I are returning to India today, but both my sons along with their wives and my granddaughter are still here and struggling to get back. The government had announced that hotel bills would be paid, but nothing of that sort has happened so far. We are paying all the expenses ourselves. Our entire family had come here for an annual vacation,” rued Sharma.
Sharma and his wife are returning through a chartered plane after paying Rs 1 lakh per person.
“The plane will fly from Ras Al Khaimah airport to Delhi. Last night also we were in panic as there was a drone or missile attack in the Marina area in the evening, though we are not aware of the consequences. Everything here is normal except that the airspace remains disrupted,” he said.
Sharma added that one of his acquaintances, Sachin Sharma, business head of IOCL in the Middle East, helped him arrange the charter plane tickets.
