Panic has gripped several households in Barabanki after U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran disrupted vital communication channels. Over 12 individuals from this Uttar Pradesh district, including scholars and their families, are stuck in Qom, the heart of Shia learning and piety. The shutdown of internet services post-attacks has isolated them completely, amplifying fears among relatives back home.
Among those unaccounted for are key religious personalities such as Maulana Jafar Abbas (Faizi), Maulana Abid Hussain Kazmi, Maulana Ali Mehdi Rizvi, and Maulana Syed Khasif Rizvi from Jaedpur. Accompanied by spouses, children, and extended family, they pursue theological education in the holy city. Brief calls post-strikes confirmed blasts on the outskirts, with the core city remaining calm—until the digital silence descended.
Speaking to the press, Maulana Abbas Mehdi ‘Sadf’, brother of Maulana Faizi, recounted the fragmented last conversation and the ensuing void that’s tormenting the family. Residents of Katra Mohalla echo this sentiment regarding Maulana Ali Mehdi. Veteran Qom resident Maulana Imran described the city as a bastion of tranquility, attributing the ordeal solely to severed online access.
Barabanki’s faithful converge at mosques, offering prayers amid whispers of safety reports that lack verification. Lawyer Dil Kash Rizvi noted the shift from intermittent contact to total blackout, breeding widespread tension. Families are now calling on New Delhi to prioritize the protection of Indians in Iran and expedite evacuation protocols.
As geopolitical tensions simmer, the plea underscores the critical need for swift governmental intervention to safeguard and repatriate these vulnerable citizens, restoring peace to anxious homes in Barabanki.