Odia Samaj in Bahrain seeks evacuation plan for Indians

Rourkela: Arun Kumar Praharaj, founder chairman of Bahrain Odia Samaj and founder director of Foundation of Global Odia Diaspora, has written to the Indian Embassy in Bahrain for an evacuation plan for Indian nationals amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia.In an email addressed to Vinod K Jacob, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Praharaj wrote that while the interception of aerial threats by the Bahrain defence forces was “commendable”, the psychological and social toll on the Indian community was rising due to the prolonged closure of airspace and disruption of essential services.Praharaj wrote, “Should the situation destabilize further, the safety of many may be compromised.”

He added that he is currently hosting eight families relocated from Juffair as residents have not been cleared to return, following intensified fears of a breakdown in local order.Praharaj requested the embassy to explore multiple backup plans, including diplomatic clearance for Indian nationals to transit through Saudi Arabia, arranging direct evacuation flights to India, and implementing a phased land-border evacuation plan prioritising families, the elderly, children and those who have lost their jobs.

He urged for defined security protocols to protect Indian nationals if civil unrest restricts movement towards border points. “The Odia community remains committed to your directives, but the unpredictability of the situation and the absence of a clear exit strategy are causing extreme distress. Community safety must be ensured before unforeseen eventualities make movement impossible,” he wrote.