There is a huge concern for Indians in Egypt as the mayhem continued. Air India will begin evacuation flights from Cairo on Sunday. 290 members of embassy officials families likely to return on February 1. Most international flights are cancelled, only flights from gulf regions have been operating. Hundreds of Indian tourists, businessmen are stranded in Cairo.


According to the recent reports pouring in, at least 150 protestors are feared dead as the crisis worsens.


Minister for External Affairs SM Krishna said the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) is closely monitoring the situation. It has advised against non-essential travel to Egypt


“All Indians are safe. In our estimate there are about 3,600 Indians in Egypt and and 2,600 of them are in Cairo. Governemnt of India will provide adequate help to those wanting to come back to India,” SM Krishna, External Affairs Minister.


Many of the Indians in Egypt are engaged in white collar jobs, many are doctors and engineers. Unlike the other parts of the Gulf there aren’t many Indians doing labour-oriented jobs. Around 300 Indians are there are businessmen-cum-tourists. Families of the embassy’s staff are likely to be brought back on Sunday night or Monday early morning.


As of now there are no reports of attacks on Indians or their properties.
Earlier, succumbing to pressure from international quarters, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak gave the first indications of an impending resignation.


The President made Egypt intelligence chief Omar Suleiman his new Vice-President indicating a possible handover of power. Defying a government-imposed curfew, thousands of demonstrators marched undeterred near the parliament building in Cairo on Saturday.


Police fired teargas and live ammunition at them but they regrouped in many places throughout the city. Protesters tore down posters of Mubarak's son Gamal, who many believe is being groomed to succeed him.


The violent protests and civil unrest have also caused all outbound international flights from Cairo to be cancelled leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.


Egyptians armed with guns, sticks, and blades have formed vigilante groups to defend their homes from looters after police disappeared from the streets following days of violent protests.


Banks, junctions and important buildings previously guarded by the police and state security were left abandoned on Saturday and civilians have quickly stepped in to fill the void.


Police withdrew from the streets when the army was sent in to take over security in Cairo. Witnesses have since seen mobs storming supermarkets, commercial centres, banks, private property and government buildings in Cairo and elsewhere.


Several government buildings were set ablaze during days of protests against President 


Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. They were often left to burn without the intervention of authorities.


President Hosni Mubarak clung to power on Saturday, replacing his cabinet in an effort to appease angry Egyptians who demonstrated in their tens of thousands to demand an end to his 30-year rule.


Despite dozens of deaths in Friday's clashes, people turned out in the streets on Saturday in defiance of security forces and said they would carry on protesting until Mubarak quits.


The demonstrators, many of them young urban poor and students, complain of repression, corruption, and economic despair under Mubarak, who has held power since the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat by Islamist soldiers.


Source:http://ibnlive.in.com