330 Sikh devotees stranded in Maharashtra Gurudwara sent home

The devotees were stuck at the Sachkhand Gurudwara in Maharashtra's Nanded due to the lockdown.


Sikh devotees stranded due to lockdown in Maharashtra sent home

The Maharashtra government with the help of Centre successfully managed to send as many as 330 Sikh devotees who were stranded in a gurudwara in Nanded back home.

The devotees were stuck at the Sachkhand Gurudwara in Maharashtra's Nanded due to the lockdown. On Thursday night, they were picked up in 30 vehicles and sent on their way home in Punjab and Haryana.

At least 3,000 pilgrims were stuck at the Gurudwara in Nanded for over a month and they had been pleading with the authorities for a safe passage back home. Passage for the safe return of the remaining devotees is also being arranged.

Approval was taken from the Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on the decision to repatriate the Sikhs to their respective states. Shah had a conversation with the Maharashtra authorities regarding the evacuation.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had requested the concerned authorities for the safe return of the stranded Sikh devotees.

The Punjab CM also requested Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan to facilitate the transportation through their states. 

"More than 3,000 Punjabi pilgrims will be travelling from Hazur Sahib, Nanded via MP & Rajasthan. Punjab Govt is making all arrangements for their transportation. I request @AshokGehlot51 Ji & @ChouhanShivraj Ji’s personal intervention to facilitate travel through their states," he wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has emerged as the worst-hit state from coronavirus with the number of confirmed cases reaching 6,430. 283 people in the state have lost their lives to the virus while 840 were successfully cured and discharged. 

Countrywide, the total number of cases is 23,077.