The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Two students detained at Shamshabad airport

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Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Two students detained at Shamshabad airport

Staff Reporter

Objections raised over visas in Arabic

HYDERABAD: Two youngsters on their way to Jeddah were prevented from boarding their flight on Sunday night after the immigration authorities at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) raised objections over their visas which were in Arabic language.

While the students contended that they had valid visas, the authorities could not understand the Arabic language and did not permit them to board the plane. As a result, the students missed their examinations in Jeddah, their relatives alleged.

According to their relatives, the students came to the city a few weeks ago along with their parents to attend the last rites of their grandfather in Jahanuma locality of the old city. As holidays were declared to the educational institutions in Jeddah in connection with Ramzan festival, the two postponed their plans of returning home and stayed back at their relatives’ house.

On Sunday night, after they were issued the boarding passes, an immigration officer stopped them on the pretext of checking their travel documents. Then he started arguing with them contending that the visas expired a month ago and hence they were not permitted to travel.

“They tried to convince him that the visas were valid for one more year, but the officer refused to listen and reportedly tore off the boarding passes,” claimed the students’ aunt Shaokath Jah. She pointed out that the absence of a translator at the immigration point had confounded the problem.

“We did not know whom to approach,” she said. When contacted, senior immigration officials said the airline companies have to provide translators to avoid such problem. “We will definitely look into the matter,” said ACP (Immigration) Murthy.

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