Prayagraj: A group of 90 pilgrims from Prayagraj’s Shia community faces dire conditions in Tehran after their religious tour turned perilous amid rising Middle East tensions. The travelers, including 65 women and elderly devotees, had embarked on a ziyarat pilgrimage to Iran’s holy sites on May 19 but found themselves stranded when Israel’s military actions disrupted airspace on their scheduled June 14 return date.
Relatives in Prayagraj describe agonizing uncertainty. "They spent their last rupees on souvenirs before learning their flight was cancelled," said Rounak Shafipuri, whose 75-year-old aunt is among the trapped. With hotels refusing re-entry, the group has splintered into makeshift clusters across the city, surviving on dwindling resources. Communication remains sporadic—families report calls dropping within seconds, leaving them blind to their loved ones’ safety.
The crisis mirrors 2022’s Operation Ganga, which evacuated 22,500 Indians from Ukraine. But this time, anxious relatives claim silence from New Delhi. "Our mothers and sisters are stuck in a warzone," pleaded Mohammad Israr, whose daughter released a tearful video appeal. The Indian Embassy has yet to confirm evacuation plans, though Tehran’s airports now operate under heavy restrictions.
