Lockdown: J-K residents stranded in HP arrive in Kathua

250 residents of J&K returned home on Sunday in buses arranged by the government. They were stranded in Himachal Pradesh since the implementation of nationwide lockdown in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Kathua (J&K):A group of 250 residents of Jammu and Kashmir, who were stranded in Himachal Pradesh due to lockdown, arrived on Sunday in Lakhanpur here.

OP Bhagat, Deputy Commissioner, Kathua said that these people are being sent to their respective districts in buses after medical screening amid COVID-19 outbreak.

"From Saturday, people from Himachal Pradesh have started coming. 156 people were brought on Saturday and 250 reached on Sunday. Some people are coming here on foot. We have held 168 people. We have kept them in quarantine centres," Bhagat said.

"Protocol will be followed and those coming by bus will be sent to their districts in buses. They are medically screened and made to fill a self-declaration form," he said.

Riaz Ahmed, a resident of Kulgam said that he was in quarantine for 27 days in Himachal Pradesh.

"I was there in Himachal for 27 days in quarantine. There was no hope earlier. I will follow guidelines of social distancing," he said.

Another resident Javed Ahmed said: "I was there in Himachal for 27 days. It's good to come back home and be with my family."

Inputs from ANI

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