BENGALURU: After weeks of anxiety over the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, 40 residents of Alipur village in Chikkaballapur district safely returned home on Tuesday. The group, stranded across various Iranian cities, landed in New Delhi on Monday as part of Operation Sindhu, a coordinated rescue effort led by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Located about 70km from Bengaluru, Alipur village saw emotional scenes as residents welcomed back their loved ones. According to Shafeeq Abidi, a local resident, around 15–20 villagers reached late Monday night, and more arrived on Tuesday afternoon. The returnees included students studying medicine and pilgrims who had travelled for religious purposes.
All those returning were received by Karnataka government officials in New Delhi, who also arranged their onward travel to Bengaluru and Alipur.
Earlier reports had highlighted that over 100 residents from this village were stranded in Iran due to rising hostilities in the Middle East. One student, Syed Razi, said that while he was in Mashhad, his area remained relatively calm despite the overall tension in the region.
Ali Abbas, whose family members returned on Tuesday, expressed gratitude to the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the state government for ensuring their safe evacuation. Sources in Alipur indicated that 60–65 more residents are still awaiting flights, as many services were cancelled due to the conflict.