Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Apr 4: Rajesh Gowda from Puttur, who was stranded in strife-torn Yemen, reached Mangaluru on Saturday April 4.

He was among the 664 Indians who were rescued from Yemen and brought to Kochi and Mumbai by special Air India flights on the night of Friday April 3.

After landing at Kochi, he came by train to Mangaluru and then proceeded to his hometown.

Rajesh was employed with MAM International Corporation in Sana’a for the past three years, and after spending a month's vacation at his hometown, he had returned to Yemen on April 19.

A relieved and happy Rajesh, speaking to media at the railway station here, narrated his experiences amid war and said that he will never return to Yemen again.

"On the day I reached Yemen, there were two bomb blasts in which 150 died and 175 were injured. Till March 29, the war was happening only at nights, but from the next day, it happened during daytime too.

"There was a bomb blast just 500 metres from the place where I stayed. It was scary and it was impossible to step out after March 25. I was worried that I would not make it back to India. I did not speak to the media as I did not want my family to be worried," he said, adding that due to sandstorm in the Gulf, the situation had calmed down a bit, which worked in their favour.

"The airport runway at Sana'a was damaged so we could not come back to India sooner. After being rescued, we were taken to Djibouti and from there to Kochi. The railway staff at Kochi helped me and even gave me free ticket to Mangaluru," Rajesh said.

He thanked the central government, his friends and family and said that it is because of them he was able to reach here safely. "Union minister Sadananda Gowda and deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim had called me and gave me words of support," he added.

He also said that the locals in Yemen treated him well and ensured that there was no shortage of food. Imthiyaz from Bengaluru accompanied him on the flight to Kochi, he said.

Rajesh also said that Prema, a nurse from Udupi, is still stranded in Yemen.

Rajesh's father Chennappa Gowda who was there at the railway station to receive his son, said, "I am very happy and relieved to see my son. We have not planned any celebration but we will definitely express our gratitude to god."

Rajesh's brother-in-law Radhakrishna was also present.