Swain's body given to family, 800 more Indians evacuated

New Delhi, Jul 24 (UNI) The body of Mr Debesh Kumar Swain, who was killed in an Israeli air attack in Lebanon on July 19, was brought here this morning and later handed over to his family in Bhubaneshwar while 800 more Indian nationals were evacuated from Lebanon.

Swain's body was brought here by a Syrian Airways flight, RB 501, and later sent to Bhubaneshwar by Indian Airlines IC 877.

Swain was killed and three other Indians were injured when Israeli forces bombed a glass factory where they were working in the Eastern Bekaa valley in Southern Lebanon.

The three injured were admitted to hospital while Swain went missing. He was later found dead.

An External Affairs Ministry spokesman said that 800 Indian nationals had been evacuated from Lebanon and would be brought to Delhi and Chennai tonight by two special Air India flights.

One flight, AI 140, carrying 400 people, from Southern India, is expected to arrive at Chennai late tonight.

The second flight, AI 170, also carrying 400 evacuees, will arrive in Delhi. The flight is carrying evacuees belonging to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and other North Indian states.

On Saturday, 602 Indian nationals were evacuated and taken to Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi.

''They have since reached their respective destinations,'' the Ministry said in a statement.

With today's evacuation, more than 1400 of the 12,000 Indian nationals have so far been evacuated from Lebanon.

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