Jaipur, Apr 21 (IANS): A total of 180 persons evacuated from Iran left for Srinagar from Jaisalmer by Indian Air Force aircraft on Tuesday afternoon.

In order to protect Indian citizens from the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 1,036 Indian citizens post testing for Covid-19 in Iran, were evacuated in five batches to India. Three batches were brought to Jaisalmer and two to Jodhpur. Upon arrival, they were quarantined for 14 days as per ICMR protocol at the Army Wellness Facilities at Jaisalmer and Jodhpur which were created by vacating living barracks of the troops.

Official sources said that around Kashmiri students among others brought from Iran to the army's wellness centre in Jaisalmer were wanting to go home after finishing their 14-day quarantine period.

They were repeatedly going on hunger strikes, writing letters and taking to social media to go back home.

While the Jaisalmer district administration made preparations to send them by road to Kashmir, but the administration back home refused. Finally, after the intervention of higher authorities, a total of 150 people were flown from Jaisalmer to Srinagar in a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Tuesday afternoon, said Col Sombit Ghosh, PRO, Defence, Rajasthan.