PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun As the situation in Iran worsens following a joint strike by Israel and the United States, the family members of the Doonites, living and stuck in volatile Iran, are concerned about the safety of their kin. It is learnt that three students from Dehradun are currently in Iran. The inspector general (Law and Order) and spokesman of Uttarakhand Police, Sunil Kumar Meena said that no official information has been received so far regarding their condition. “However, the police and administration are ready to provide all possible assistance if any help is sought for their safe return to India,” he added. A resident, John Mehdi said that his younger brother Wahab Mehdi is currently in the Iranian city of Qom, where he is pursuing Islamic studies. “The family has not been able to contact him for the past two days as internet communications have snapped. We are worried as we have not spoken to him since the escalation of the conflict. However, assumingly, he is living in a safe place,” he said. Asked whether they have contacted the Indian Embassy for assistance, he replied in the negative. Another Dehradun resident, Fezan Jafri said that his nephew is in Iran. “He is studying there. Since things escalated, we have not been able to establish contact with him. There is internet shutdowns and so we cannot contact him. Naturally, we are worried,” he said. According to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, nearly 10,000 Indians — including students, pilgrims, businesspersons and seafarers — are currently in Iran. The information had been shared in Parliament last month. Earlier, the Central government had issued travel advisories on January 5 and January 14, asking Indians to avoid non-essential travel to Iran and advising those already there to leave due to mounting tensions between Israel and Iran. Notably, during the previous escalation in June 2025, the Government of India had launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. Under the operation, 3,597 Indians had been brought back safely.
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