IAF bolsters humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, evacuates stranded Indians in two transport aircraft
New Delhi (PTI): The Indian Air Force on Sunday intensified its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, while bringing back more than 400 stranded Indians from Colombo in two transport aircraft.
A C-130J aircraft carrying a group of Indians landed at Hindan in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, while an IL-76 aircraft landed at Trivandrum in Kerala on Sunday, a senior official said.
Bolstering its efforts to provide humanitarian aid in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, which has left a trail of destruction in the island nation, the Indian Air Force (IAF), in close coordination with Sri Lankan authorities, executed major rescue and evacuation missions in the landslide-hit Kotmale region, which remains completely isolated due to road disruptions.
The IAF helicopters evacuated 45 stranded individuals, including six critical cases and four infants, and transported them safely to Colombo, officials said. Among those rescued were 12 Indians and a large group of foreign nationals from multiple countries, alongside Sri Lankan citizens, they said.
To strengthen relief operations on the ground, the IAF also airlifted 57 Sri Lankan Army personnel into the affected zone to support the ongoing rescue and clearance efforts, the IAF said. Earlier in the day, the IAF said it had positioned Mi-17 V5 helicopters in Colombo for swift relief operations.
Till 8 pm, more than 400 stranded Indian nationals were evacuated from Colombo in two transport aircraft and brought back to the country, the senior official said.
Another C-130J aircraft is in Colombo, with a plan to evacuate another group of more than 100 Indians back to the country, the official added.
As part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, the IAF has inducted ‘BHISHM’ capsule, a modular mini-hospital developed by India for emergency and disaster relief, along with a medical team.
“Another @IAF_MCC C130J carrying approx 10 tonnes of disaster response supplies, BHISHM Cubes and a medical team for on-site training and support has landed in Colombo,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, a C-130J aircraft carrying equipment meant for a National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) team, already deployed as part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, landed in Colombo, the senior official said.
The transport aircraft will now be used to bring back Indian citizens.
The IAF also shared an update related to the ongoing operation on its X handle on Sunday.
"#OperationSagarBandhu | IAF Humanitarian Assistance… As part of India’s ongoing relief efforts in Sri Lanka, the Indian Air Force has positioned Mi-17 V5 helicopters in Colombo for swift HADR operations," it said.
On Saturday, two IAF transport aircraft – C-130J and IL-76 – delivered nearly 21 tonnes of relief material to Colombo.
The IL-76 aircraft, carrying nine tonnes of relief material, 80 NDRF personnel, four canines, and eight tonnes of NDRF HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) equipment, landed in Colombo on Saturday morning.
According to an update issued on Saturday by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in Colombo, the death toll in Sri Lanka stood at 132, with 176 missing over the preceding four days as Cyclone Ditwah battered the island nation.
More than 43,900 people from 12,313 families have been hit by the extreme weather conditions, according to the Sri Lankan authorities. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, the first tranche of relief material was handed out after the consignments were transported by the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri.
In an X post on Sunday, the IAF said it is simultaneously undertaking domestic support operations in the wake of the cyclone. "#CycloneDitwah | Ongoing Ops… Even as relief efforts continue in #SriLanka, the Indian Air Force has simultaneously pressed into domestic support operations.
“An IAF C-17 has airlifted NDRF teams and equipment from Pune and Vadodara to Chennai, enabling rapid deployment of over 300 NDRF personnel and around 35 tonnes of essential gear.”
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Pak police registers case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on LeT co-founder
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Lahore (PTI): Pakistan's Punjab Police on Friday registered a case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder Amir Hamza, who suffered bullet injuries in the attack in Lahore.
On Thursday, two unidentified gunmen riding on a bike opened fire on the vehicle of the private TV channel 24NewsHD TV, owned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on Peco Road in Lahore near the TV channel's office.
In the attack, Hamza suffered bullet injuries.
"The FIR has been registered against unidentified gunmen, but it is sealed forthwith," a senior police officer told PTI.
He said the intelligence agencies have taken over this case from the police, and they are currently investigating the matter.
The channel's religious programme host Justice (retd.) Nazir Ahmed Ghazi and Hamza were in the vehicle when it was attacked. Hamza was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Punjab police on Friday said that "upon receiving information about the incident, the SSP Operations immediately reached the scene and a high alert was imposed in the area. SSP Operations Tauqeer Naeem also met the affected individuals. Thankfully, all present in the vehicle remained safe during the firing."
It further said senior police officers of the Township and Chung, along with a heavy police contingent, were present at the scene.
"Police collected evidence from the site and initiated an investigation. Efforts to arrest the suspects are underway using CCTV footage and geo-fencing techniques. Search and sweep operations are being conducted at various locations, with scrutiny of suspicious individuals ongoing," police said.
It added that those involved in the incident will be traced and arrested soon.
The police sources said that Hamza has been shifted to his residence in Jauhar Town, Lahore, where police and agency personnel met him.
The leadership of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's banned Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD), including Hafiz Saeed's son Hafiz Talha Saeed, also called on him.
TV host retired Justice Ghazi, who remained unhurt in the attack, remained a legal counsel for Hafiz Saeed, they said.
The PMML has strongly condemned the attack on Hamza and demanded that those involved in the incident be arrested immediately.
Hamza is regarded as LeT's second most important leader after its chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2019 after getting convicted for several years in terror financing cases.
Hamza has been designated as a terrorist by the US. In the past, he served as the head of LeT's "special campaigns" department.
In 2018, Hamza formed a fundraising group for the LeT following a ban on the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation by the Pakistani government.
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