All the Indian nationals stranded in the two violence-hit towns of Osh and Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan were safely evacuated by air on Monday night to the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. The airlift was arranged by the Indian embassy in Bishkek with the active cooperation and support of the Kyrgyz authorities. There were an estimated 116 Indian
nationals, mainly students, who were stranded in Osh and Jalalabad. Fifteen of them were living in Jalalabad while 99 students, a professor and a businessman were from Osh.
The Indian government has left it to the individuals themselves to decide whether they want to return to India or to stay on in Bishkek. The external affairs ministry here said in a statement on Tuesday that flights out of Bishkek are operating normally and therefore, the individuals should be able to book a flight to India. There are at least three flights from Bishkek to India this week.
Sources said the Indian embassy is helping out those students whose passports were left behind due to their hurried evacuation and making arrangements for others whose visas had expired. The passports and visas can be expected to be sorted out within two days.
The sources also said the evacuees were provided food by the Indian embassy.
At least 124 people have been killed and about 1,685 wounded in ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan, which erupted on June 10.