Over 200 Gujarat residents return home from Sudan under Operation Kaveri

AHMEDABAD: More than 200 Gujarat residents from the strife-ridden African nation of Sudan returned home on Tuesday.

As part of Operation Kaveri, the Government of India organised a special flight carrying 231 evacuees, which arrived at Sardar Patel International Airport here.

Among them, 208 were from Gujarat.

Upon their arrival, Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, greeted the individuals at the airport. Last week, under Operation Kaveri, 56 Gujaratis had returned to Mumbai airport in the first round.

A medical team was arranged for 10 ailing persons, and 15 additional counters were set up to expedite the immigration process. The government also organised food for the evacuees. A total of 360 Gujaratis have been brought back from Sudan through Operation Kaveri.

According to MoS Harsh Sanghavi, of the 231 evacuees who landed at SVPI airport, 208 were from Gujarat, 13 from Punjab, and 10 from Rajasthan. He added that the state government, in coordination with the Centre, had arranged for five air-conditioned Volvo buses for those wishing to travel to Rajkot.