Diplomatic bag found in French Alps handed over to India

A 46-year-old diplomatic bag, found on Mont Blanc in the French Alps last month, was handed over to India by France but the contents were not immediately known.

The jute bag, stamped "Diplomatic mail" and "Ministry of External Affairs", was recovered by a mountain rescue worker on August 21 on Mont Blanc close to where an Air India plane flying from Mumbai to New York crashed in January 1966 killing all 117 on board, including top nuclear scientist Homi J Bhabha.

Satwant Khanalia, an official with India's Embassy in Paris, took possession of the bag from the authorities at Chamonix town in the mountain base, embassy sources told PTI.

Bhabha is known as the "father" of Indian nuclear programme.