Highlights
- India is in a complete lockdown for 21 days and international flights have been banned till April 14, 2020.
- Balvir Kaur is in Sydney and is desperate to return to India.
- She had to cancel her departure after India shut down its border.
Balvir Kaur arrived in Sydney in December to stay a few months with her daughter, Simi Ravi Deep.
She was due to return to India on March 22 but was forced to cancel her departure after India shut down its border.
Two days later, her son, Harsimran Singh who has Hepatitis C was rushed to hospital in Ludhiana in the northern state of Punjab, after his condition deteriorated.
“My brother is in ICU (intensive care unit) and there is no one to look after him due to lockdown. My neighbours took him to hospital,” Simi Ravi Deep told SBS Hindi.
“We are very stressed and feel helpless as the borders are shut and there is no way to be with him,” she says.
The family says they are distraught as the Indian government has extended the ban on international flights till April 14.
“How can they block all the flights? My mom is desperate to go back. We feel so helpless. The Indian government is helping its citizen across the world. I plead with them to help us and arrange an emergency flight for Indian citizens stuck in Australia. There are so many who want to go back to India,” Ms Ravi Deep says.
Source: Supplied
Indian authorities request patience and understanding
India is in a complete lockdown for 21 days and international flights have been banned till April 14, 2020.
Many Indian nationals have approached authorities for assistance after India cancelled all incoming flights.
“Presently, all scheduled international commercial passenger services to India are closed till 1830 hrs GMT, April 14, 2020. Please stay put wherever you are and follow us for updates. We request for your patience and understanding,” Indian consulate in Sydney tweeted.
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