Ballia,

24 June (HS): Five Ballia residents who went on a pilgrimage to Iran and became

stuck there due to rising Middle Eastern tensions returned home safely on

Tuesday. They thanked the Indian and Iranian governments for aiding their safe

return. The five pilgrims from Rasra town in Ballia district, Syed Asad Ali

Bakar, Syed Mohammad Muztaba Hussain, Syed Mohammad, Shama Jahan, and Syed

Nazmusqib, were stranded in Tehran owing to the continuing confrontation

between Israel and Iran. They landed in Ballia on Tuesday morning.

Hussain

stated that their religious visit was initially scheduled for seven days, but

because to the violence, they were obliged to remain in Iran for more than two

weeks. The

party arrived in Iraq on May 28 for the pilgrimage, and then traveled to Iran

on June 7. They stayed there till June 21. Hussain reflected on the event,

saying that while the situation in Iran was terrible, with missiles being

fired, daily life for the populace remained rather normal. Shops remained open,

and places of worship had steady foot traffic, he noted.

The party remained at a hotel in Tehran, concerned about the uncertainty of their

return to India. Hussain stated that the Iranian government is actively

assisting the return of foreign citizens and praised the Indian Embassy's

efforts to ensure their safe homecoming.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi