For over two months, an 85-year-old mother in New Delhi has desperately repeated the same question to her son: "When are you coming home?" Commander Purnendu Tiwari, a decorated Indian Navy veteran, can only answer "soon," even though there's no end in sight. He remains in Doha, Qatar, facing a mysterious travel ban and unable to return to India.
Unlike his colleagues, who were released from Qatari detention on February 12th, Commander Tiwari's situation is tangled in bureaucratic limbo. A "pending issue" is keeping him from going home, yet it seems he hasn't even been questioned about it since his colleagues' release.
"It's been over 75 days," a source close to the situation reveals, "The uncertainty is taking a huge toll on his elderly mother, whose health is failing, and on Commander Tiwari himself." Hope remains that the travel ban will soon be lifted, but for now, being allowed to stay in his own apartment in Doha is a poor substitute for returning home to his family.
India's Ministry of External Affairs hasn't confirmed when Commander Tiwari will return, vaguely citing that "requirements need to be fulfilled." This frustrating lack of clarity adds to the veteran's ordeal and his loved ones' anxiety.
Remember, this situation arose when eight naval veterans, including Commander Tiwari, were detained while working for a private company in Qatar. Their release was considered a major diplomatic win for India. But Commander Tiwari's continued detention shows that the story isn't over.
