Karnataka appoints officer, starts helpline for Kannadigas in Afghanistan

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said the state government would talk to the Centre on extending the visa of Afghans currently residing in Karnataka

The state government on Wednesday appointed Additional DGP (CID) Umesh Kumar as the nodal officer to coordinate with the Centre to bring back Kannadigas stranded in Afghanistan.

Kumar will coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to have Karnataka residents repatriated.

A control room has been established and the government has asked citizens to provide information by calling 080-22094498, 080-22942628 and 9480800187. Citizens can send an email to [e-mail]

The information should contain the name, contact number and address of the informant along with how he or she is related to the persons stranded in Afghanistan. The government also wants the name of persons staying in Afghanistan, their present location, occupation or purpose of visit, passport details, date of arrival in Afghanistan and so on.

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Meanwhile, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said the state government would talk to the Centre on extending the visa of Afghans, especially students, currently residing in Karnataka.

“There are 339 Afghans in Karnataka, according to my information. Of them, 197 are students. They are requesting us...they are helpless with their visa period expiring soon. There’s no reason for students to feel afraid,” Jnanendra told reporters. “The Bommai administration is with them from humanity's point-of-view. Visa renewal comes under the Centre’s jurisdiction. Certainly, our government will talk to the Centre and try to give them all sorts of protection,” he added.

Jnanendra was speaking at the sidelines of a police event. He said he will not tolerate police personnel colluding with criminals. “Only a handful of people do that, which makes citizens view with suspicion even the honest officers,” he said. “We will not tolerate, even for a second, police officers who join hands with rowdies and criminals. We will get their reports and show them their place.”

Jnanendra also said the government was looking into some “technical issues” that came in the way of fully implementing the recommendations of the Auradkar committee. The committee has recommended hikes in wages and allowances for police personnel.