Bengaluru: In much-needed relief to the stranded tribals from Karnataka in the Republic of Chad, Central Africa, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) responded swiftly to their distress call. Eight tribals, including 3 women, belonging to Hakki-Pikki community, were stranded in Abeche town, eastern Chad — about 800km from capital N’Djamena — after their valid visas expired.
Despite submitting duly filled applications for visa renewal well before the expiry date, the tribals alleged that local immigration officials delayed the process and impounded their passports. The group had travelled to Chad to trade in herbs and Ayurvedic formulations. Their ordeal was reported by TOI in its Feb 1 edition. In a video message, the tribals alleged that immigration officials were demanding penalties ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per person, otherwise threatened to arrest them. R Puneeth Kumar, president of Karnataka Hakki-Pikki Budakattu Sanghatane, said the tribals are expected to arrive at N’Djamena by Thursday, and Indian embassy officials promised to try their best either to extend the visa period or help them return to India immediately by speaking to local immigration authorities.
