Indians detained on way to Kabul airport; Released subsequently: Reports
New Delhi(PTI): A group of Indian nationals is learnt to have been stopped and taken to an unknown location near the Kabul airport on Saturday for questioning and verification of travel documents, triggering some confusion and concerns in India.
People tracking the developments in Kabul said there were no specific reports of any harm to Indians in Kabul so far.
The Indians were among 150 people who were heading towards the Kabul airport when they were stopped by Taliban fighters, according to Afghan media reports.
The Indians were learnt to have been released subsequently.
Kabul Now news portal initially reported that the group was "abducted" by the Taliban fighters but it later updated the report saying all the people were released and on their way back to the Kabul airport.
The people cited above said the Indians were taken away for questioning and it is not unusual under the current circumstances. There was no immediate official comment or reaction on the matter.
Meanwhile, India on Saturday evacuated around 80 Indian nationals from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians from Kabul, they said, adding it is expected to arrive at Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.
India has already evacuated 200 people including the ambassador and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF after the Taliban seized control of Kabul on Sunday.
The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 people, mostly staffers at the Indian embassy, on Monday.
The second C-17 aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians from Kabul on Tuesday.
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U'khand: 60 injured in loco train collision in Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project tunnel
Gopeshwar (PTI): About 60 people were injured when a loco train collided with a goods train inside Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project tunnel in Chamoli district, officials said.
Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said that there were a total of 109 people, mostly workers, on the train at the time of the accident, which occurred late Tuesday evening.
He said the train was evacuated and condition of all injured is stable.
The DM said that one train carrying people and another carrying materials were moving inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the project, being constructed by THDC (India), when they collided.
The Railways in a statement said the trains involved in collision did not belong to it but were part of a local arrangement.
"It is clarified that during construction of a hydro power project tunnel construction, an unfortunate event occurred due to local trolley transportation arrangement in Chamoli district Uttarakhand. This event has nothing to do with Indian Railways. The trains mentioned in news are not Indian Railway trains. This is a local arrangement done by Tunnel Project team for transportation," it said.
According to officials, loco trains are used inside tunnels for the transportation of workers, officials, and materials for construction work.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Chamoli said that 10 injured have been sent to the district hospital in Gopeshwar for treatment.
The 444-megawatt hydroelectric project is being built on the Alaknanda River between Helang and Pipalkoti in Chamoli district.
The project is to generate 111 megawatts of electricity through four turbines. It is targeted to be completed by next year.
