“ITBP contingent attacked by Taliban,” says Gadag soldier on return to India

Team Udayavani, Aug 22, 2021, 4:52 PM IST

Gadag: A soldier from Gadag attached to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a part of the Indian Army contingent in Afghanistan has returned safely to India from Afghanistan five days ago.

The family of Ravi Neelagar breathed a sigh of relief and his aunt Shaila K. Neelagar has also shared some of the information given by Ravi to them on the Taliban’s attack on Indian soldiers.

Shaila said, “Ravi told us that, when 200 of them were being evacuated from Afghanistan, their contingent was attacked by Taliban terrorists. When soldiers were boarding the flight, the Taliban tried to prevent them. They even snatched their luggage.”

“Ravi was very sad that he lost all his belongings but family comforted him by saying his safe return is everything that matters to them,” she said.

Ravi was discharging duties in Afghanistan for 2 years.

Narrating the incident, Ravi said, ” I was assigned for duty in the Indian Embassy of Kabul for the period of 24 months. The situation was normal till August 2nd week. As Taliban forces were advancing and the situation was getting worse on August 15, all the soldiers from the ITBP contingent were evacuated the very next day. There were two more Kannadigas in the Indian embassy in Kabul namely Manjunatha Mali of Bagalkot and Naseemulla of Belgaum. We all safely returned to India on August 16.”

Currently, Ravi is in quarantine in New Delhi and will return to his house in few days.

Meanwhile, Teresa Krasta, a native of Bhagini in Kasaragod and a nun in the Sister of Charity has informed the organisation and her family that she is safe in Afghanistan.

Krasta was sent to Afghanistan 3 years ago by the Italian entity where she works in an institution for mentally disabled children.