Karnataka appoints senior IPS officer to bring back Kannadigas from Afghanistan

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday appointed a senior IPS Officer as nodal officer to coordinate with the Central government to bring back Kannadigas from Afghanistan.

"As there is a conflict situation in Afghanistan, to bring back Indians stranded there, the central government has already started a helpline. To coordinate with the central government and bring back Kannadigas safely from there, Umesh Kumar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police CID, Bengaluru, has been appointed as nodal officer," an official notification said.

India on Tuesday had brought back home the Indian ambassador and its staff at the embassy in Kabul in a heavy-lift military transport aircraft in view of the deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital, two days after its take over by the Taliban.

Earlier in the day, state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said there are 339 Afghans in Karnataka. Out of them 192 are students, and the Basavaraj Bommai administration will talk to the Centre on renewing their visas and will provide them "protection", he added.