Jaipur, March 5 Six young men from Bikaner and a group of devotees from Jodhpur were among the many Rajasthanis who returned home on Thursday after being stranded in Dubai amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The families celebrated the safe return of their loved ones, even as the returnees shared the difficulties they faced due to the suspension of flights amid the Iran-Israel-US conflict.
The young men from Bikaner recounted the terrifying missile attacks in their neighborhood.
"The explosions near our building kept us awake at night. We were forced to leave in a hurry, carrying only our hand luggage and leaving everything else behind," said Rajendra Acharya, one of the young men.
"We were scared but we managed to reach Muscat. From there, we flew to Goa and Delhi before finally arriving in Bikaner," Acharya said, thanking God for their safe return.
Ravi Pugalia, another young man, said that their families were deeply worried.
"Our families grew anxious as the situation worsened. We had no choice but to leave immediately," Pugalia said, adding that the Indian government should assist those still stranded in the region.
A member of the Jodhpur group, who was in Dubai on a religious trip, said the government should act quickly.
"There are still many people in the Gulf countries who need help to return. The government should act swiftly to bring them back," he said.
The group expressed relief after finally reaching their homes and expressed appreciation for the authorities in Muscat.
The devotees had originally planned to return on February 28 but were forced to stay longer due to the cancellation of flights amid escalating tensions.
"After the bombings near Abu Dhabi airport, we were terrified. But thanks to the help of other Indians in Dubai and the efforts of the Maheshwari community, we were able to return," said Triloki Nath, a devotee.
Sharing his experience, Kailash Bothra, another devotee, said, "We were forced to spend three times more money due to the cancellation of flights. The Indian and local governments did not provide any assistance. Only the help from other Indians and the Maheshwari community made our return possible," he said.
