CHENNAI: Over a dozen of the 30 Tamil pilgrims rescued from Uttarakhand have been safely sent back to their natives, the Tamil Nadu government said on Wednesday.

A release issued by the state government said, about 17 of the 30 rescued Tamil pilgrims reached Tamil Nadu, and about 13 of them were brought to Chennai Egmore by trains with tickets arranged by the state government.

The thirteen pilgrims received by state ministers MRK Panneerselvam, Gingee K S Masthan and C Ve Ganesan besides rehabilitation commissioner P Krishnamurthy were sent back to their natives using the vehicles arranged by the state government, the release added.

Pilgrims, who were stranded in Uttarakhand owing to a landslide, were rescued following the intervention of Chief Minister M K Stalin and brought to Delhi where they were accommodated in the Tamil Nadu House.