Sardulgarh newly-weds stuck in Dubai, parents seek govt help

Bathinda: Two newly-weds who went to Dubai for their honeymoon on March 3 are now uncertain about when they will be able to return home. Gurpreet Singh from Sardulgarh town in Mansa district and his wife, Rupinder Kaur, had travelled to Dubai on Feb 27 and were scheduled to return on March 3. They now have to wait for resumption of flights or evacuation of Indians stranded in Dubai via Muscat in Oman.Gurpreet's father, Gurjant Singh, and mother, Shavinder Kaur, said, "Gurpreet, who works in Canada, came to Sardulgarh on Feb 11 for the marriage. After the wedding, they decided to go to Dubai. Even though we are in regular touch with them and they are safe, we are worried and want the govt to ensure everyone stuck in Dubai and elsewhere is safely brought back to India." Gurjant Singh also said many Punjabis were stuck in Dubai and other places and urged authorities to bring them back.In a text message to TOI, Gurpreet said, "We are safe and life here in Dubai is normal, with people engaging in everyday activities as usual. The only problem is the flight because of the closure of airspace. Our return is scheduled on March 3, and we are waiting for updates about resumption of flights." He declined to share further details.BOX: Warring appeals for helpMeanwhile, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring wrote to the Union external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, seeking his intervention to ensure the safe return of a Bathinda-based couple stranded in Dubai. He asked officials at the embassy/consulate of India in Dubai to extend immediate consular assistance to the woman, Neeru Garg, facilitate access to medical support, and ensure her early return in view of her blood pressure problem. He underlined the urgency of the situation, saying that the couple had run out of essential medicines.MSID:: 128948210 413 |