Bollywood stars and super-rich flee India as bolt-holes close doors

India’s mounting crisis surrounding a surge in coronavirus infections is prompting wealthy families to flee the country by private jet.

With reports of hospital beds and drug shortages sweeping social media, Indian tycoons and others able to afford fares running into millions of rupees are booking flights to bolt-holes in Europe, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

With the country’s health infrastructure creaking under the strain, Bollywood superstars were spotted escaping to destinations including the Maldives, while at least three Australian cricketers have quit the Indian Premier League, the sport’s leading club tournament.

Some of the impetus for the wealthy to fly out of India has come from overseas measures to restrict travel from the South Asian state as the new wave of Covid-19 cases has taken hold.

Canada, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and the UK are among more than a dozen places that have imposed curbs, with others poised to announce measures.

The Maldives will restrict Indians from visiting all but a handful of resort-only islands from Tuesday, leading to a last-minute rush in departures.