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Janata Dal (Secular) Member of the Legislative Council S.L. Bhojegowda, who recovered himself stranded successful Dubai amid the escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, has alleged that the Indian Embassy failed to widen immoderate enactment during the situation and credited the Dubai medication for ensuring his harmless return.
Speaking to reporters aft landing successful Bengaluru precocious connected Monday (March 2, 2026) night, Mr. Bhojegowda said, “It was the Dubai government, and not Indian diplomatic officials, that facilitated the evacuation of Indian passengers erstwhile formation operations were disrupted.”
He was among 213 travellers, including badminton prima P.V. Sindhu, who reached India aft services gradually resumed.
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‘No connection from Indian Embassy’
According to Mr. Bhojegowda, nary assistance was forthcoming from the Indian Embassy during the emergency. “It is the work of the embassy to scope retired to citizens successful distress and supply indispensable help. However, we did not person immoderate connection from them. The Dubai authorities and Emirates Airlines took decisive enactment and arranged for our departure,” helium said.
He pointed retired that portion helium could trust connected idiosyncratic contacts to negociate the situation, galore mean passengers lacked specified access. “I could marque calls and coordinate due to the fact that I cognize people. But what astir communal travellers who bash not person specified connections?” helium asked, raising concerns implicit the enactment mechanisms disposable to Indians overseas during crises.
Visa and accommodation issues
Mr. Bhojegowda explained that helium was travelling backmost to Bengaluru from Johannesburg, South Africa, pursuing the decease of his elder brother. Dubai was a transit halt connected his journey. Upon arrival, helium boarded a connecting formation scheduled to depart for Bengaluru. However, the craft remained grounded for implicit 2 hours earlier passengers were informed that the departure had been postponed owed to reported bombings.
“The announcement created panic. Within minutes, respective flights were cancelled and disorder dispersed crossed the airport,” helium recounted. Passengers seeking to exit the airdrome were required to person a valid Dubai visa. Mr. Bhojegowda managed to unafraid a visa connected accomplishment owing to his existing US visa.
He said Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy assisted him successful arranging accommodation astatine a edifice successful Dubai. “Just an hr earlier I reached the hotel, determination had been a blast nearby,” helium said, describing the tense atmosphere.
Constant fear
Recounting the night, Mr. Bhojegowda claimed that alarms went disconnected astir midnight, prompting guests to determination to the basement amid fears of caller attacks. “Hundreds of people, mostly foreigners, remained determination until astir 3 a.m.,” helium said. The pursuing morning, helium shifted to a friend’s residence, wherever helium said aggregate explosions were reported successful adjacent proximity.
Meanwhile, P.V. Sindhu took to X connected Tuesday to corroborate her harmless instrumentality to Bengaluru. She described the past fewer days arsenic “intense and uncertain” and expressed gratitude to the crushed teams, Dubai authorities, airdrome unit and migration officials for their support. “The compassion and professionalism shown during a hard clip meant a large deal,” she wrote.
